Kingdom for a Heart Part II
by The Pearl Red Knight
Summary: Now that Kyoya and Mori have officially delcared war on each other, it's time for the greatest thing of all: dating! Sora has to decide: the cool vice president or the impassive senior? Part II! REVIEWS!
1. Chapter 7: Reflections

Chapter 7: Reflections

_I ain't never had a problem with California  
__There's a lot of good women, Sacramento to Corona  
__But them Hollywood types after a while wear on ya  
__Strutting around in their size zeros  
__Skinny little girls, no meat on their bones  
__Never even heard of George Jones_

_Ain't you glad we ain't all California girls  
__Ain't you glad there's still a few of us left  
__Who know how to rock your world  
__Ain't afraid to eat fried chicken or  
__Dirty dance to Merl  
__Ain't you glad we ain't all..._

"SORA-CHAN! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU GOING TO WEAR TO THE FESTIVAL!" cried Riiko as she flung costume after costume across the room. She had dragged the younger girl to a nearby costume shop to figure out what she should be. Sora groaned, muttered something about getting soundproof earphones, and turned down the volume on her iPod. 

"Riiko, stop screaming like that. It's getting very annoying. And I already told you what I'm wearing: a white camisole under a red see-through top, a jean skirt and white tennis shoes." She examined her iPod's screen. "And we need to hurry. I have to charge this if we're going to the festival early to help Tamaki and the others set up. I need music, Riiko."

Riiko looked up from the many dresses and suits. "Well, if that's what you want...here, what do you think of this one?" She held up a pink genie costume. "Does this look cute?"

"Very. You should definitely wear that one."

Riiko growled. "You said that about the princess one, and the knight one, and the jungle one, and the...hey, are you even listening!"

Truth be told, Sora wasn't focusing on the small senior. She was absorbed in her own thoughts. Mori and Kyoya had acted strangely last night, and the others wouldn't tell her what was wrong. Both men didn't talk to her after they reappeared in the hall, but she knew the others were in on whatever scheme they had planned for her. "Riiko...do you think I'm odd?"

Puzzled, Riiko scratched her head, having decided on the genie outfit. "You? Odd? Where the heck did you get an idea like that?"

Sora shrugged. "Kyoya and Mori were being really weird last night, and Kyoya said I hid behind a façade. Do you think I do?"

"Not a façade. It's just...you're like the rest of us. My family owns the biggest electronics company in Italy, Alexia and Elaina are famous actresses, Natalia is a renowned author, and Cera's a Romanov, one of the last pure bloods. We all have our share of the limelight. Sometimes, we get tired of it and we want to escape every once in a while. I don't blame you; you're the next queen of Genova and a damn good singer to boot."

Sora smiled as she turned her iPod off. Riiko approached the counter to pay for the costume. _The way you put it, Riiko, I don't seem too bad. In Russia, Cera's worse than I in Italy. I wonder if Kyoya's just worried about me... _

Honey gently squeezed Mori's shoulder as they rode in the limo to Ouran. The school festival would start in less than two hours, and the Host Club had a lot of work to do. Booths needed to be set up, the rides needed to be tested once more, and the haunted house needed to be filled with the animatronics. "Takashi, did you tell Sora that I won't be coming along with you to the carnival?"

Mori shrugged. "I'll tell her tonight. And may I change the date last minute? I want to take her to Fall Fest in Shibuya. She'll have fun." He was acting so strange nowadays, with Sora constantly on his mind. Last night, he had a dream (a nightmare, actually) which consisted of he and Kyoya talking. Then suddenly, Kyoya and Sora walked away hand in hand. Yet Mori never stopped them, because he felt it was the right choice. Waving away the horrors, he began to plan their evening out.

"Fall Fest, Takashi? Isn't that about courtship...oh." Honey laughed. "Then I suppose it would do you good to ask her out. Please don't be shy, either. Sora really likes you. All you need to do is give her a little push."

The stoic man nodded. "Sora won't mind the change of plans?"

"I don't think so." 

Mori remained very silent for the next few moments.

Honey took on a knowing look. "You really love her, Takashi." It wasn't a question.

Mori turned back to the window. "Yes, Mitsukuni. More than I should."

* * *

"NO, TONO! THE PICKLES GO IN THE NEXT-AGH!" Hikaru yelped as pickle juice trickled down his head and shirt. "Tono, stop being retarded. Haruhi, take the jar from him!" 

Haruhi grabbed the pickle jar away from Tamaki, who was whimpering in fear as Kyoya eyed him severely. "Tamaki, if those pickles go to waste, I will force-feed you them myself. Clean them up, and try to preserve the remaining ones."

Kaoru gasped as Hikaru shook his hair free of juice. "Hikaru, stop it! I'm allergic to pickles! I'll break out in hives!"

Tamaki crawled to his knees to help Haruhi pick up the prizes for the raffle. "Haruhi, are you sure that Sora and her friends are coming?" he whispered, keeping his gaze on Kyoya's feet, making sure he wasn't about to become a bug under his shoe. 

"Yes, senpai. But only Sora, Alexia and Riiko are coming. The others have errands to run." She glanced over at Kyoya. "She said only the twins would ride the rides with her," she added a little louder.

"HER UNCLE WILL RIDE WITH HER!"

Kyoya looked up from his task of moving the dunking booth into place. So the princess was coming after all. His feelings for Sora were still rather complex and disoriented. But he knew, one way or the other, that he would never refer to Sora as his niece. _That baka needs to know when to stop. _He didn't mind in the least that the brothers would keep her company. 

All in all, he knew she was different than Haruhi, than Renge, than any of the girls he'd ever met.

"Kyoya, are you done?" Tamaki was examining his best friend with curiosity. "The 'dinking' booth looks amazing!" He looked down at his watch. "Yikes! Renge wanted me to help with the music in the haunted house!" He sprinted off.

"It's dunking booth, senpai," said Haruhi as she passed him with napkins and plates. The twins were messing with the food: nachos, popcorn, pickles, cotton candy and an assortment of other items. "And Hikaru, Kaoru, don't even think about spiking the fruit punch again. Mr. Wakizashi was very upset last night. And Nekozawa's out sick because of it."

Hikaru groaned loudly. "Haruhi, it's no fun if our targets actually know it's Halloween after they drink the punch!"

"Exactly." Kyoya was sitting behind the raffle booth, his hands folded under his chin. "Miss Hokage was escorted from the premises last night because of vulgar behavior."

"Kyoya." Tamaki had returned quite suddenly, and he was quivering with...what? Anger? Frustration? "What's this I hear that you have ill intentions towards our niece?"

Hikaru smacked his forehead. Of course Renge had told him. Although Kaoru had specifically told her not to, she couldn't hope to keep a secret for life.

"Well? Kyoya?"

Haruhi fidgeted towards Kyoya, in case he needed back-up.

"I have no ill intentions toward **Sora**."

Tamaki gapped at him, dumbstruck. "Wuh-wuh-what did you say?"

"I said I have no ill intentions toward Sora. She is not my niece, Tamaki, and she isn't technically yours, either. I have never seen Sora as my niece, but as a potential rival in education. Along with Mori-senpai, I have come to regard her as something more than an associate."

"But!"

"That's enough."

Riiko stood in front of the nacho stand, an ugly look on her face, with Alexia flanking her side. The tall senior spoke. "Sora is helping Renge at the haunted house, and I do not want her to overhear this conversation. Tamaki, in simpler words, Kyoya and Mori are now rivals competing for Sora's heart."

Tamaki blinked twice. "Oh. So my niece-I mean Sora-likes them...as more than friends?"

Haruhi silently thanked her mother in heaven before replying, "We don't know that yet, senpai. That's why..." She cut off at a look from Hikaru. "That's why we don't want to say anything, in case we're wrong."

Riiko stuffed her bear and purse under the booth, still looking upset. "Let's get changed," she said in a very calm voice, but her hands gave her away. "The students will be arriving soon." Kaoru and Hikaru followed her and Alexia to the nearest bathrooms.

Tamaki stared down at the ground before muttering, "I'll go get changed, too." He stalked off, looking unusually gloomy. His mood swings never seemed too serious to Haruhi, but this time, he may have not been acting. 

* * *

"Kyoya..."

The Shadow King had changed into a white shirt and black slacks for the festivity. Only the really brave (or foolish) students would be in costume but the other students had to be presentable enough for the visitors. "Yes, Haruhi?"

"If you really mean it...if you really want to win Sora over...then I'll help you."

Kyoya paused, napkins in hand as he set up the rest of Tamaki's booth. Haruhi had refused to help him the other night because she claimed he was too sneaky, and not worthy of Sora on the matter that he had ice walls built around his heart. _What could have possibly changed her mind?_

"On one condition. No schemes, no deceptions, no lies. Sora sees through things like that, and she's too smart to fall for any wild plan you cook up. Be your true self, for once. Let down your walls just this once. Be"

"That's more than one condition, Haruhi," came a low voice. 

Mori towered over the first year, glowering at Kyoya, who stared back. "Haru-chan! Haru-chan! Let's go get changed into costume!" Honey jumped up and down behind Mori. "I'm gonna be a knight! And what did you pick?"

Haruhi sighed. Both Kyoya and Honey had convinced (in Kyoya's case, threatened) her to attend the school festival. She decided a costume would please Honey and ease her debt at the same time. "I picked out a prince costume. Tamaki suggested it. Then again, he also suggested a dress, but then we'd lose a lot of customers. I would get some male devotees, though..." 

Not even that last comment could break the sudden tension between Kyoya and Mori.

Honey pulled on Haruhi's hand. "Leave them be," he whispered. "Takashi is very upset that you took Kyo-chan's side, but he's getting help from Cera-chan." They began to head over to the nearest building to change.

"Ahhhhh..." _So that's why Cera and the twins aren't coming. They're getting things ready for Mori-senpai and Sora. Those little cheats. I know Elaina and Alexia are rooting for Kyoya-senpai, while the other two have Mori-senpai's back. _"How could they treat this like a bet?"

Honey shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think either person would be good for Sora-chan."

Haruhi tilted her head sideways, doe eyes wide with confusion. "Aren't you backing Mori-senpai?"

"Takashi would calm down her wild side a bit. Kyo-chan would do the same.Like I said, either one. In the end, it's her choice."

* * *

Tamaki looked a great deal happier when he rejoined them, looking like a very handsome pirate. "Ahoy, Honey-senpai! Haruhi!"

"Tama-chan, where are Hika-chan and Kao-chan?"

"They're in the haunted house, getting ready. They want Sora to go first with Riiko and Alexia."

Tamaki frowned slightly. "Where is Sora?"

"RIGHT HERE!"

She came sliding down the railing, looking excited and energetic. "Look at the new trick I learned!" She slowly moved to her feet, and flipped off the metal. "Ta-da!"

Honey burst into applause, clanking loudly in his armor. Tamaki smiled warmly. "Yay, Sora-chan! I like your outfit!"

Sora laughed. Riiko had cheered her up exponentially earlier. Although Kyoya and Mori were still on her mind, she pushed the thoughts aside. "Cool, isn't it? Father would get so mad at me, then he seceded and called it awesome and 'very raph.' Anyway, where are the others?"

Haruhi jabbed her finger over her shoulder. "Hikaru and Kaoru are in the haunted house, and Mori's handling cotton candy. Kyoya and Alexia are doing the raffle. Riiko's at the nacho stand with some seniors." She turned to Honey. "And we need to head over to the dunking booth. Bye, Sora!" They left.

Sora returned Tamaki's smile. "So me and you are working together...where?"

"At the pickle and popcorn stand. It's right by the haunted house. Do you want to go in?" he added slyly, Prince mode returning at once.

"Sure. Why not? I could use a good surprise." She led the way, a bounce in her step.

_If only she knew how big of one. _Tamaki was very upset that, of all the people alive and breathing, Kyoya fell for some outsider. How the twins accepted her, he did not know. Perhaps she gave off a friendly vibe. And Mori-senpai, too! Sora was truly a lifesaver.

Sora was humming some song as they took their seats behind the stand. "Tamaki, what would you say if I sing? It's a pretty cool song, and we're gonna play it soon. It's American...please?"

Tamaki nodded. "Go ahead..."

_Look at this stuff  
__Isn't it neat?  
__Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?  
__Wouldn't you think I'm the girl  
__The girl who has everything?  
__Look at this cove  
__Stories untold  
__How many wonders can one cavern hold?  
__Looking around here, you'd think  
__Sure, she's got everything_

_I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty  
__I've got whozits and whatzits galore  
__You want thingamabobs?  
__I've got twenty  
__But who cares, no big deal  
__I want more..._

_I wanna be where the people are  
__I wanna see, wanna see them dancing  
__Walking around on those feet  
__Getting carried around, you don't get too far  
__Legs are required for jumping, dancing  
__Strolling along down the street_

_Up where they walk  
__Up where they run  
__Up where they stay all day in the sun  
__Wandering free  
__Wish I could be  
__Part of that world_

_What would I give  
__If I could live  
__Out of these waters?  
__What would I pay  
__To spend a day  
__Warm on the sand?_

_Betcha on land  
__They'd understand  
__Bet they don't reprimand their daughters  
__Bright young women  
__Sick of swimmin'  
__Ready to stand_

_And ready to know what the people know  
__Ask them my questions and get some answers  
__What is a fire and why does it burn?  
__  
When's it my turn?  
__Wouldn't I love  
__Love to explore that shore up above?  
__Out ofthe sea  
__Wish I could be  
__Part of that world _

Tamaki's eyes were filled with tears. "My darling Sora...you sing so beautifully!"

Around the corner, Kyoya heard the last of her performance. Well, he happened to have the greatest view of Tokyo Harbor on one of his private beaches. Maybe she would consider going out with him sometime. "Sora, I fully agree with Tamaki. Why don't you perform public karaoke?"

Sorasmiled and blushed lightly. "Well, I am adored in Europe..."

"Do not be so modest."

She chuckled. "Sure thing."

"OH, SORA-CHAN, THAT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL!" Honey andHaruhi were rushing towards them. "YOU SHOULD CONSIDER A CAREER OF THAT!"

Haruhi looked a little harassed. "Sora, come with me," she urged.

"What's wrong?" Sora asked, looking at Haruhi with concern.

"Just come on!" She pulled Sora toward one of the soda tents. "Look, don't be mad at me, but..."

"I can handle it from here, Haruhi."

Kyoya pulled the curtain aside. "You can go back to your position."

Haruhi took one last look at Sora before bustling out of the tent.

"Sora."

"Let me guess. You and Mori-senpai have decided to challenge one another over my heart. Let me just say this: may the best man win." Leaving a stunned and bewildered Kyoya in the tent, Sora smiled and left. _I truly mean that. You're not winning me over with plans and schemes. Good luck to you both._

Mori entered the tent just after Sora had left. "Kyoya."

Kyoya adjusted his glasses. "Mori-senpai. She knows."

"I see. Than, excuse me." With that being said, Mori followed Sora.

Kyoya smirked. _You're just infatuated, Takashi Morinozuka. Before this is over, you'll have realized that infatuation too late._


	2. Chapter 8: Soap Opera Triangle

Chapter 8: The Daytime Soap Opera Love Triangle

Sora walked down the halls with Tamaki chattering by her side. At Ouran, Halloween had been over for a while, and the next major holiday to prepare for was six weeks away. Christmas wasn't as big as Halloween, but that didn't mean it wasn't celebrated. The Host Club would be very busy indeed for the next few weeks. She sighed as they turned into English. It was the period before lunch, and on Fridays, Mrs. Hokage was known for her long speeches cutting into lunch. Kyoya said nothing as they took their seats. Two weeks had passed since the school festival, and nothing humongous had occurred. Nothing catastrophic.

Except that she found out Kyoya and Mori wanted to date her and Mori seized his chance to ask her out on a date. It was simple and clear: a casual Saturday attire day at the Fall Fest in Shibuya, complete with Mori by her side and lots of carnival rides. Kyoya was certainly unpleasant the last few days, refusing to even be in the same room as Mori unless it was impossible to escape. And her friends had made everything worse by leaving at exactly the wrong time! Riiko promised to write, but Sora needed her best friends now more than ever!

Kyoya would come eventually. The moment the words came out of Mori's mouth, Sora knew it would take more than one date to convince her. And she figured Kyoya would be more fun in a natural environment such as the school or a classy restaurant. Mori and Kyoya would just have to be patient to the extreme. After **him, **Sora wouldnve, world's" /'t take any chances anymore. Tamaki and Honey were thrilled, of course, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that, however friendly they seemed to appear, the Hitachiin brothers didn't like her. Whether it was outright dislike or something else, Sora decided to talk to them one of these days. 

And today was a perfect day, indeed. The Host Club was taking the day off to go Christmas shopping, and Sora just happened to be in the same car as the twins. Honey, Mori and Haruhi were taking another car (on account of Kyoya refusing to share a car with Mori) to the commoners' mall. Tamaki was excited to go shopping with Sora, and the twins agreed with him that she had "the finest taste in apparel the world has yet to see." Kyoya then dragged them off, apologizing to Sora for having ruined her study time, and promised her he wouldnve, world's" /'t get them executed or something ridiculous. 

* * *

"Tamaki, do you think you and Kyoya could take a different car and meet us at the mall?" she politely asked as they listened to Mrs. Hokage's lecture on English adverbs and adjectives. "I need to speak alone with Hikaru and Kaoru."

Tamaki raised his eyebrows and scribbled something down on a paper. He then tossed her the note. "Why?" It read. "Did they say something about you and Mori-senpai dating?"

She wrote back, "We're not dating, Tamaki. It's just one date, and maybe more, but right now, just one."

"But what did the evil doppelgangers do?"

"Absolutely nothing. That's why I have to talk with them. I'm getting the feeling that they don't like me."

"Oh, it's not that they dislike you. They have a small world, consisting of themselves. Only recently have they been accepting people into their world. Haruhi was first, followed by the rest of the hosts. You were just a surprise, and it's taking them longer than I expected, but you remind us all of Haruhi in a rich and famous form."

"Tamaki, you do realize that what you just said made no sense whatsoever?"

"And what do we have here?" Ms. Hokage was fast approaching their desks, an amused look on her face. "Passing notes in my class?" She held out her hand. "Miss Mikage, you should know better. You too, Mr. Suou. Hand me the note."

Grinning, Tamaki gave her the note. Thankfully, they had written in French the entire time, and Mrs. Hokage's smile vanished. "Do you understand the meaning of English classes? If you write anything in my class, it must be in English!"

Sora bit her lip to keep from laughing as the furious teacher walked away.

"Sora." Kyoya was writing something on a sheet of paper. _This will never do. Don't you dare pick up bad habits from Tamaki. _He silently passed her the note, keeping a watchful eye on Mrs. Hokage's back. "Don't let that idiot read it."

Sora pretended to be taking notes as she read the letter.

"Sora. I understand that you are seeing Mori-senpai now. Please forgive me, but I must sincerely give you my concerns about dating such a man. All I ask of you is not to flaunt it during club hours or in front of me. I could not possibly control my emotions. Another thing, when this dating façade is over, will you consider dating a much more reasonable person, such as myself? We could go out to dinner, see a play, whatever your heart desires. Notify me anytime, and we could discuss the possibility of a date."

Kyoya smirked as she wrote something in reply. Tamaki snatched his note from her desk and read quickly. He glanced at Kyoya in astonishment. Sora handed him her note.

"Kyoya, I have thoroughly read your letter and I understand your position. Here is what I have to say in regards to said letter.

"BITE ME."

* * *

"Why is she being so stubborn?" muttered Haruhi as she went over both letters at lunch. Kyoya decided she should eat in the cafeteria from now on, since she was technically his accomplice. "All you did was ask her on a date...then again, you shouldn't have called her and Mori-senpai's date a façade. It probably ticked her off righteously."

Kyoya leaned back in his seat, ignoring the stares from the fangirls. "It's the truth, no? Mori-senpai is simply infatuated with her looks. I could offer her something so much better."

Tamaki gobbled on his exquisite bento Haruhi made for him. "What if she likes Mori-senpai? Mother, why don't you let her go and follow her? See if she likes spending time with him or not, then ask her again. If she turns you down, there's plenty more fish in the sea. Isn't that right, Haruhi?"

Haruhi stared. Since when was Tamaki ever mature? He usually made stupid decisions on the spot. And why was he taking Sora's side? _Sora, you've messed us up pretty good. Two of the most unlikely candidates for boyfriends have fallen head over heels in love with you, Tamaki-senpai is actually thinking maturely, the twins are being open, and Honey seems less of a childish young man and more of a sweet young man. So far, I'm the only one that's remained the same. Maybe it's because we're related or something... _"I think Tamaki-senpai's right, senpai. Back off for a bit, and see who she really likes. No, what am I saying? Push her, with all you might! Just don't trick her. Simple as that."

The Shadow King twirled his bottle cap on the table. "I suppose I have no other choice? But I will not stoop to spying on her, Tamaki. She...needs...space," he forced out.

"Haru-chan!" Honey flung his arms around her. "Kyo-chan asked Sora-chan out on a date! That's wonderful!" He clapped his tiny hands. "Takashi is furious, but he doesn't mind a little friendly competition!" (_I had no clue it was friendly, _though Kyoya.) "I'm calling it the Daytime Soap Opera Love Triangle! Isn't that funny?"

Tamaki stared before laughing. "That's a good name! We shall use it in our bets!"

Kyoya smirked. "Bets?" he repeated, amusingly.

"_Oui_! Whoever wins Sora's heart affects a piece of land in Hawaii. Cera and Natalia have 300 euros on Mori-senpai, and Alexia and Elaina have 300 on Kyoya! Haruhi, Ranka-san and I are rooting for you, Mother, and the other hosts are rooting for Mori!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes. Of course. Most of the hosts would be hoping on Mori. He mentally jumped at the thought that others prefer him, but he would never admit it. "Bets on the outcome. If I wasn't one of the betties, I'd call it genius."

Haruhi laughed. "Bets or no bets, the competition heats up!"

A shout interrupted their lunch and celebration. "Uh-oh," squeaked Honey. "Renge-chan's gonna implode when she finds out Sora-chan's gone."

* * *

Renge had "invited" Sora to sit with her at lunch today, and she was regretting it. At the far east end of the cafeteria, she wished her cousin or her "uncle" would save her soon. "So how's Italy? What's it like? Is it like France? I've never been there, but Daddy and I are vacationing there during the winter, so I must know all about it! Does it snow a lot? How many beaches are there? Is the shopping good? What about the holidays? How are the gondola rides in Venice?"

Sora sighed, stirring her lemonade. "Italy's awesome, it's kind of like France in a way, 'vacation' is not a verb, moron, it snows occasionally, there's a few beaches, the shopping's the best in the world, holidays are fun, especially Christmas, and the gondolas are cool. Anything I missed?"

"What about politics? I know you're a princess, but what's the government like? Are there any theme parks? Is Genova its own country? How many people are in your family? Do you have any pets? What are the buildings like? Do they...oh. Mori."

Mori stood behind Sora's chair, his face unusually flushed. "I've come to ask Sora if she'll eat lunch with me today." He looked expectedly at her. "Well?"

Renge stood, outraged. "Can't you see that we're having a conversation? It is not polite to disrupt the flow. Tell him, Sora!"

She looked down at the table. "I'd love to eat lunch with you, Mori, but this one here..." She lowered her voice. "...doesn't know when to shut her trap."

Renge smiled triumphantly. "See? She prefers me over you, so if you'll excuse us-HEY!"

A pair of hands snaked over her eyes. "This is the last favor I give you," Nekozawa muttered darkly. "You murderers bring me out in the light and expect me to just do things for you..." He continued to mumble as he covered the manageress' eyes.

"Thank you," Sora whispered as she and Mori snuck off to the courtyard.

Kyoya watched them leave with slightly narrowed eyes.

* * *

"Thanks, Mori. I owe you one."

He had taken her to the far north corner of the courtyard. Several juniors left the area after a cold glare from Mori, who obviously wanted privacy.

The rest of the Host Club decided to take it upon themselves to spy.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked, glancing at her almost empty tray and worried that she was starving herself.

"Not really. I'm never truly hungry during the day. It's dinner time you have to worry about whether or not I have a bottomless pit of a stomach. And desserts are another story. Speaking of desserts, why isn't Honey coming with us to the carnival?" Her eyes opened wide with curiosity.

Mori cleared his throat. "I wanted it to be...just us."

Sora nodded. "I thought so. Very wise, considering Tamaki and the others would use that to spy on us."

Tamaki fell back out of the bushes, still out of their sight. "Senpai, be quiet," Haruhi whispered.

"Is it fine with you that it's...a date?" Mori looked at his shoes, not wanting to look at her face.

"I don't mind. I really like you, Mori," she assured him. "Don't be afraid that I won't show up. I love carnivals, and I think it will be even funnier with you there."

_Funny?_ "I don't understand."

"Not that you're strange. It'll be more fun, okay?"

"Mmm."

They continued to eat outside. When she came back from across the street (having no clue that she wasn't allowed to leave the campus without permission) with ice cream cones, he took her hand as they enjoyed the breezy day. She smiled when he reached for her fingers and allowed him to touch her. Finally, the bell rang, and they had to return to reality. As they began walking away, the others followed silently, hiding behind pillars and walls.

"So..." Sora was bouncing beside Mori as he walked her to class. "Tomorrow, when do you want me to be ready?"

Mori pondered. "By noon. We'll eat lunch first before heading out to the carnival."

Sora sparked an idea. "Mori, do you mind if I drive? Your driver can leave after he drops you off at the hotel."

Mori looked insultingly surprised. "You drive?"

"Duh. Back home, we do walk everywhere, but after a while, you want your own car. It's cool, my car. And I am the best driver in Italy, so you'll be safe."

He shrugged. "You need a car to drive."

"Did you think I came here without one? I had my Ferrari imported from the palazzo."

Every guy's mouth in the vicinity watered. A **Ferrari**? An actual _Ferrari_?

"You have a Ferrari? Impressive."

"And I have more good news. The superintendent, that is, Tamaki's father, agreed to allow me my freedom to choose between a white or blue blouse with a cute plaid skirt, blue of course, and it starts next week! He also said the other students would follow, too!"

"That's terrific."

"Isn't it? Oh, and you guys would make horrible secret agents. I can hear you from over here." She glanced over her shoulder, dropping Mori's hand. "Now come out. I know that Ferrari comment got yourtestosteronegoing."

Slowly, Tamaki and Kyoya revealed themselves. Honey and Haruhi took a little longer to move.

"What have you learned?"

Tamaki's head drooped onto her shoulders. "Not to follow or spy on you. And that you're the greatest driver in all of Italy."

"And don't you forget it," she scolded him. "Let's get to class, _Tama-chan_, or we'll be late. You too, _Kyo-chan_." She was going to have fun in History.

* * *

After school, the twins dragged Sora off to the mall, where shops galore awaited them. Feeling underdressed after looking at Hikaru's shirt and slacks, and Kaoru's polo with slacks, she untied her bun and let her hair fall to her shoulders. She waited outside another girlie shop as the twins practically ran over other people to get everything they wanted.

After a few minutes, she saw them leaving the counter. "There you are," sighed Sora as Hikaru and Kaoru exited the store with a multitude of bags. "Those better not all be for Haruhi. She'll pitch a fit."

Hikaru grinned. "Not all of it. Just most."

Kaoru laughed. "Some of it's for the girls, and we'll go to another store for the hosts."

Sora shook her head. "It's your death wish." She motioned to Kaoru, who nodded.

"Hikaru, why don't you go get that belt? You know, the one you saw in Gold Inferno?" he suggested casually. "I know you wanted it really bad."

The older twin gapped at Kaoru. "You mean it? I can have it?"

"Why not?"

Hikaru took off back into the store, yelling in delight.

Sora sighed. "Thanks. I had no idea if he would leave or not."

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"I've heard that you guys have a small world, and that confuses me. Please explain." That was Sora, always too polite. "You two are some of the friendliest people alive. I can't comprehend why you don't let anyone get too close."

Kaoru stared after his brother. "Because we've always been close to each other. Before we joined the Host Club, we never had any kind of friends. We were forever so quiet."

"Hah, you were quiet? Impossible!"

"Believe it. Many kids our age didn't socialize with us, and we never talked to them. It's the truth. We didn't want to lose our connection with one another, so we blocked everyone else out. It became our world, and their world."

"But what changed that?"

"Haruhi and the guys. She was the first one to tell us apart by our personalities. Tono was so accepting of us. Kyoya-senpai always respected us. Honey-senpai is friendly with everyone. Mori-senpai regards everyone as an equal. And you were different. Not as friendly as Honey-senpai, but not heartless like Kyoya-senpai. You just...**are**. You exist happily, and it scared us. You didn't see us as close friends, but you don't regard us as enemies. Tell me, Sora. Why is that, do you think?"

"Hm. I think it's because my opinion never mattered. I never question things around me. Everything was set in stone back in Italy. Destiny, fate, a script. Everyone living their lives as puppets, never to laugh, never to cry. I wished to live my life as my own, instead of a masquerade. That's why I'm so carefree here; at home, I was tied down and scolded. Here, I hold my own. And that's the best feeling in the world." She looked at Kaoru, her smile tight. "When you've seen life through my eyes, Kaoru, then will you understand. In Italy, I felt like one of those puppets. Here, my strings have been cut."

He nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "I can see why Mori-senpai and Kyoya-senpai fell for you. Like them, your life has been planned out. Like a script. Maybe your happy-go-lucky attitude attracts them. I have no clue. What I do know is that you've affected us in so many ways, Sora. You've become our personal drug."

Suddenly, Hikaru appeared, a wide grin on his face. "I got the belt **and **some awesome shoes. Wanna see?" His smile faltered. "Is something wrong?" he asked nervously. Sora and Kaoru were staring at each other intensely.

"No," said Sora, turning towards him. "Kaoru and I were discussing life, and how it royally blows."

Hikaru laughed aloud. "You finally learn!"

"Just took me a little longer," she confessed.

* * *

As she waved goodbye to the twins outside Starbucks, Sora caught sight of Tamaki and Kyoya, who were examining a delicious-looking pizza in a window. Kyoya was wearing a black vest over a sleeveless shirt with jeans, and Tamaki wore a blue sweater over a pair of khakis. Sora's get-up of a red babydoll and jeans seemed appropriate after all."Do guys always think with their stomachs?" she inquired as they turned to greet her.

"Sora!" Tamaki smiled. "Did you get our shopping done?"

"Yep. And I also got a few things for me, as well." She grinned. "And did you get my shopping done?"

"Of course," said Kyoya, a glare on his glasses. "Otherwise, we would have shooed you away."

Sora laughed. Despite his cold demeanor, Kyoya really did have a caring and humorous side. "So we go shopping for the twins next, right?" She jerked her head back. "I say we take on the lower level. The twins went to meet Haruhi and Ranka-san at Starbucks. Let's get a move on!"

Kyoya fell back as Tamaki and Sora pointed out the various department stores. He loved the way Sora's eyes sparkled and widened whenever he pointed out an interesting shop. "If I may say so, over there's a good ice cream parlor, Sora. Over by the EB Games store, to the right...your other right."

Sora giggled. "I see it! Good thinking, soldier!" she winked at Kyoya. "After we get down, an icy treat sounds delish!"

Tamaki almost jumped. "Look, there's Dillard's! Didn't you say it's a popular store in America, Sora! Let's go there first!" He grabbed her hand and they walked over hastily, Kyoya a step behind them.

"Sora, what about this!"

"PERFECT, TAMAKI! HOW ABOUT THIS ONE!"

"EVEN BETTER! WHICH ONE LIKES ORANGE AGAIN?"

"Oh, that's Kaoru! What about this shirt?"

"For whom?"

"Hikaru, of course."

"_BON-BON_! And this fabulous watch?"

"Definitely Hikaru. Or this wallet?"

"Very Kaoru."

Kyoya quietly chuckled. Her face was so easily readable when she was this excited. She glanced over at him several times before finally asking, "And you, Kyoya? What are you getting the twins?"

He shrugged. "They like video games, so I was thinking a game or two. Possibly three of four each."

"Seriously, who are you and what have you done with Kyoya? I swear, you just hide behind that cold personality to impress people." Her face softened. "You don't need to impress me, you know."

Tamaki bounded up. "I think we're done. Shall we pay?"

Sora handed him a few bills, looking away from Kyoya, who had his mouth slightly ajar from her last comment. "Here, Tamaki. This should cover it." Tamaki looked in-between the two of them before leaving for customer service.

"Well. This is the, what, seventh time I've been caught staring you?"

"So it is." She moved closer, her gaze intent on his face. "How many times must you do this before you understand the definition of publicity?"

He smiled and stayed rooted. "I'm not sure. A few more times, perhaps."

"Perhaps you like it," she suggested idly, inching ever closer. Her mind was screaming at her, _You fool! YOU IDIOT! YOU ARE GOING ON A DATE WITH MORI TOMORROW! STOP IT!_

"Maybe. Or maybe you're just extremely attracted to me, and you're in denial, so you try to keep your eyes off me." He leaned down.

"In denial? I highly doubt that." Her breath fluttered in his face.

"So then what is it?"

"I honestly do not know, but I do know what I want, at the moment."

Three young ladies and a couple stopped to watch. Tamaki returned with several bags. "Hey, you guys. Are you ready? The lady working register wanted my number, so I think we should..." He froze when he saw their faces not an inch from each other.

Unaware of a small audience, for the second time, their lips locked. 

The Daytime Soap Opera Love Triangle was forming at last.

* * *

Tamaki stood frozen, bags on his arms, as Kyoya lifted Sora off her feet, his arms wrapped around her waist tightly. Her arms were thrown over his shoulders, and her eyes closed, as were his. His tongue slowly worked its way into her mouth, and she granted it entrance. One of her flats fell off her feet, but she didn't care. All she cared was that Kyoya was kissing her, and it was **for real**.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves," came an amused laugh. Haruhi stood behind Tamaki, a grin stretched across her face. "About time. I was worried all my hard work was for nothing."

"OH MY GOSH! NO WAY!" Renge was running toward them. "IT FINALLY HAPPENED! BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE SEEING-EEK!" Haruhi's hand clamped over her mouth. "Mmm-mmm-mm-mm-mmmmmmm!" 

"Renge, stop it. You'll blow out your vocal cords if you keep popping up out of nowhere and screaming."

Kyoya set Sora on her feet, and bent to pick up her shoe. "Here." He stared coldly at Renge and Haruhi before stalking off in the ice cream parlor's direction. "Do you still want ice cream or not?"

Tamaki winced at the anger in his voice before gathering himself and running after him. "Kyoya, wait! KYOYA!"

Sora frowned at Haruhi, who was still muffling Renge. "Let her go. Hush, Renge."

The screaming ceased, and Haruhi released Renge. "I'm sorry, Sora. But the entire school has been waiting for this to happen!"

Sora raised her eyebrows. "WHAT? Since when?"

"Since the Halloween Ball. He just couldn't keep his eyes off you."

Haruhi began to shove Renge, looking frustrated. "Go and catch up with them, Sora. I'll make sure Renge keeps her mouth shut."

Sora nodded and ran to catch up with the two men sitting at a table now. "Tamaki! Kyoya! Wait!" They turned their heads. "Don't just take off! Renge would not stop screaming!" she sighed. "I'm sorry for that. She's such an otaku."

"Ah." Kyoya muttered before turning away.

Tamaki goggled at Sora. "What...was that...all about?"

"What, the screaming?"

"EVERYTHING!"

Kyoya bit a piece off his cone. "That's between myself and Sora. No one else." Sora knew perfectly well Kyoya had good reason to ban Tamaki from saying anything. Mori could never find out about this.

"SORA-CHAN! TAMA-CHAN! KYO-CHAN! WE'VE FOUND YOU!"

Honey and Mori approached the round table, looking gleeful. Mori wore a black snug t-shirt with blue jeans. Honey donned a button-up yellow shirt with blue shorts. "Hello," greeted Mori, nodding toward Sora and Tamaki. Kyoya closed his eyes once before speaking.

"Judging by your appearance, you have found the perfect Christmas gift for someone." His tone was still too polite, the anger subsiding now that Sora was by his side again.

Honey nodded vigorously. "Yep, yep, yep! We got a gift card to Gold Inferno for Haru-chan! And Hika-chan and Kao-chan are getting a PSP from us!" He bounced up and down. "We wanted to ask Tama-chan if he could join us in our search for your presents!"

Mori looked stricken when he realized that would leave Kyoya and Sora alone. "That's fine with me," Sora agreed. "Tamaki, make it good, 'kay?"

The King stared at her. "But what about...?"

"Oh, I'll be fine with Kyoya. We have to find your present anyway. Go."

Tamaki's eyes watered with tears. "Oh...my sweet niece! You are growing up so fast."

"Tamaki, I'm a junior in high school. Please. I've already grown up."

Honey stomped his little feet in impatience. "Hurry, Tama-chan!"

"Well, Tamaki?" Kyoya inclined his head. "Do you want your gift or not?"

"OF COURSE I DO, MOTHER! LET'S BE OFF, HONEY-SENPAI! MORI-SENPAI!"

They left, Mori taking a glance back at Sora, who was licking her cone and staring around the mall. "Okay, I think we should get Tamaki something wicked awesome, but practical in a way. How about a Pineapple laptop, like yours? We could install video games on it, but also put in programs that will help him in school! Ooh, how about a laptop with a musical program on it, or-"

"I was thinking we proceed to my limo to continue what we began in Dillard's." Kyoya's smile was a sinister but soft one. "Then we shop for the idiot." Sora blushed.

* * *

Hikaru and Kaoru tapped their fingers against the glass. Puppies and kittens scurried in the window display, running in circles. "What if we got Sora a puppy?" they said in unison.

Haruhi absentmindedly picked at her shirt's hem. Her Bermuda shorts were sticking to her skin. "I don't know. Whatever's fine. But get a big dog. Raja won't like another cat around the house."

"Then what about a St. Bernard? Or a Great Dane?"

"Ew, no, Hikaru. How about a Samoyed? Cute and friendly."

"I say a Samoyed puppy, too. Where's your father, Haruhi?"

"Oh, he saw a card shop and claimed that Sora needed a few new stuffed animals."

Kaoru sniggered. "Okay, that's weird. Well, that takes care of Sora. Next...TONO!"

"Haruhi, get Tono that glass piano statue. He'd love it. I saw a wonderful Monet copy next door we can get him."

"And we'll get Kyoya-senpai something practical?"

"That's no fun, Haruhi! Let's get him a new laptop, with "Kyoya Loves Sora" engraved on the front!"

"Good one, Kaoru!"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea..." Haruhi was still focused on the kissing scene she'd just witnessed. Renge was hard enough; she didn't need the devils breathing down her neck about it. "But instead of a laptop, we could get him...a desk set. You know, when he becomes the most successful business man in Japan. And instead of that message, write something that Mori-senpai won't be tempted to throw out a window."

"Go, Haruhi!"

"Then to the Things Remembered shop!"

"But the Pet Shop, first!"

"No, we can come back for the Samoyed next week! That way, it will still be a puppy! OOH, MORE OF THEM ARE COMING IN, LOOK!"

* * *

"Tama-chan, would Sora-chan like these?" Honey asked, holding up a pair of diamond earrings, with a necklace and a bracelet to match. "I know she's an Aries, like you, so diamond's her birth stone."

Mori brought back a pretty white blouse and a white belt. "I know she likes white, so these can go with it." He smiled. "Mitsukuni, get her the jewelry. She'll love it."

Tamaki wailed. "I have no clue what to get her!"

Honey tugged on his sleeve. "Don't give up! Oh, doesn't she really like music? Get her that new GazettE CD. I think she likes them."

"THAT'S PERFECT!" He ran off in the music store's direction. 

Mori tilted his head. "What else should I get her since I'm courting her?" He blushed slightly.

"Takashi, you should get her a diamond ring. Make it gold, and engrave her name into it."

"Thank you, Mitsukuni. I'll get her that." They approached the jewelry counter.

Honey's grin fell. He would never tell his cousin that, while looking for Tamaki, he witnessed Sora being lifted off her feet with a kiss from Kyoya. Mori may collapse from overbearing anxiety. "Ooh, Takashi, how about that one? Instead of her name, get her that one with the heart-cut stone!"

Mori handed the jeweler his credit card. "What do you think...Kyoya is getting her?"

"I already know. Kyo-chan wants to give her a library. Tama-chan said they were discussing lots of books in their English classes. He decided to invest in buildinga library. It's in the Kanagawa prefecture, right beside a shrine. Very secluded...oh." He frowned. "That's why he wants to give her that one."

"Do not fret, Mitsukuni. She'll choose by her own standards, not because we're giving her things. And has she mentioned anything about our gifts?"

"Nope. Still a surprise."

Tamaki came running around the corner, sweating like crazy as he dodged the antics of an elderly woman. "HOW DARE YOU! THAT WAS THE LAST CD, AND I WAS GETTING IT FOR MY DAUGHTER, SO YOU DECIDE TO CHARM THE POOR GIRL BEHIND THE COUNTER WITH YOUR LOOKS AND YOUR WORDS!"

He flailed his arms at the two seniors. "AH-HAH, MORI-SENPAI, HONEY-SENPAI! MAKE HER STOP!" He yelped as her giant red handbag hit him across the head. "AH! SEXUAL HARASSMENT! RAPE! HELP!"


	3. Chapter 9: A Day with Mori

Chapter 9: A Day With Mori

Sora fidgeted with the collar of her white sleeveless shirt. Her blue jeans were faded, and white sandals finished off her look. After politely declining Kyoya's offer, they went to buy Tamaki a laptop with a rather complex music system on its hard drive. She saw a cute outfit in the store over and decided that was what she'd wear with Mori.

The weather forecast said it would be a little chilly, so she decided to put a tan sweater over her shirt. She tried to straighten her hair, but that didn't work out, so she just tied it back into a ponytail. The mirror didn't lie, so she sat on the couch and tried to watch TV. It was ten minutes till noon, and Mori had called a few minutes ago to tell her he was on the way. She was so edgy, and that didn't stop her from jumping when a knock came on the door. "It's me," grunted Mori.

She opened the door. "Hey. Are you sure you like me driving?" she asked for the umpteenth time. "I mean, if you know how, you could drive." She gasped as she took in his clothes. "Wow...you seriously don't belong in high school, Mori."

Mori smiled. He dressed just as casually, a sleeveless blue button-up and black pants. His own white turtleneck was over his arm. Over his other arm was a quaint basket. "Thank you. And no, that's fine. You drive. I'll enjoy myself."

Sora laughed. She truly liked Takashi Morinozuka more than she first believed. "Let's hit the road, then." She offered her hand, and he took it without hesitation.

They took the elevator down to the garage. Even in here, she could feel a small breeze picking up. She clicked her alarm off to see where she had parked. "Ah, over there," she exhaled. "That's it. My gorgeous Ferrari. I named it Rory, after the main character of a cool American show."

No simple words could describe the car, except that it fit Sora's personality perfectly. It was red, and the interior was a tan leather. Its rims were the perfect size, and it had a powerful V8 engine. Unlike the showier ones, this one wasn't as long in the back. A two-door fit her just right. "Well?" Her voice was high, as if expecting him to be expecting something better. "Cool or what?"

"Very much so," he replied. "I've always wanted one of these."

"Really. What's your favorite color?"

"A dark blue, or a midnight blue. Either or."

"Oh. That's cool. Mine's coolest, though."

Mori laughed. "Then let's go before someone decides to steal it."

Sora opened the doors, and they were what Italians called the "Lambo-style" doors. Mori almost drooled. "After you, sir."

He settled himself as she turned on the engine. It purred to life. _Ah, so smooth_.

"So what did you end up buying Kyoya for Christmas?" asked Sora as she pulled out of the garage. True to her word, her driving was smooth and delicate, but confident as well.

"I offered a snake, but Mitsukuni and Tamaki suggested a nice leather briefcase that he could hold his laptop in, and a pair of new black boots."

"And Honey? What's he doing while we're out on our date? Eating as many sweets as he can without getting the world's worst cavity?"

"No," said Mori. "He's at home, already wrapping Christmas presents."

"But that's like, six weeks away. I don't understand why we even went shopping already."

"He's excited," replied Mori. "Christmas is his second favorite holiday. I'm sure that he still has Halloween candy left over still, surprisingly, so that may be a part of his experience."

"Mori?" She sounded hesitant. "Why does Tamaki call Haruhi his 'daughter' if he actually has a thing for her? He's delusional, huh?"

"We believe he confuses it with fatherly feelings."

"Ah-hah." _That idiot._

"But he is very protective of her, so I think it makes sense."

"And I'm pretty sure pigs fly, too," she replied sarcastically.

"Okay, maybe he's a little...touched in the head." Seriously, she needed to get him on his own a lot more.

"Where's the turn-off?" Sora asked Mori. Mori had forgotten they were driving.

He glance out the window. "Sora!" His heart was racing just as fast as the car, which was nearing speeds of 90 mph. "Do you want a ticket?!"

Sora looked confused. "What's wrong? Mori, I've been driving since I was ten years old, only because horse riding became boring. My father decided that, **if** I wanted to drive, I'd do it his way. And he drives like a maniac. Besides, I always drive like this." She pointed to a gadget on the dashboard. "Built-in radar custom-made for _moi_ by Cera's uncle. The police can't pick us up, and I have diplomatic immunity in fifty countries, including Japan. Also, I'll see if a cop's in our range." She pointed to a small screen above the rearview mirror. "That way, I can slow down a bit and look normal."

Mori began to chuckle. "And how do you weave in and out of traffic?"

"Easy. Like I said, I've been driving for a while. After seven years, I've finally gotten my rhythm down." She smiled. "This is the turnoff, right?"

Mori squinted out the tinted glass. She slowed to exit the highway. "Good job. The park's a mile down this road. After we eat, we'll head over to Fall Fest."

Sora turned onto a smaller road. The houses here were larger and farther apart. Green fields rolled here and there. "Sora, it's up ahead."

She could see it. Rows of sakura trees lined the exterior, keeping it hidden. Several cars were already outside in the parking lot. Sora made sure her car was completely safe from theft before turning to Mori. "So do you have a favorite spot?"

Mori nodded. "It's by the pond." He took her hand and grabbed the picnic basket with the other hand. "I'll show you."

He led the way, ignoring the stares of the jealous girls who weren't with a hot guy, and moved aside a couple of bushes to reveal a small meadow. On the other side, glistening with the noon sun shining overhead, was a pond. Ducks were floating along, and frogs croaked in the cattails. Sora sighed. "It's gorgeous, Mori."

Mori smiled. "I always come here to meditate. If you ever need to escape...well, tell us first, and then come here. It's an oasis." He settled the picnic basket on the grass, and plopped down. Sora hesitated before sitting down. He leaned back, enjoying the feel of the sunshine. It was a little cool, though, so he kept his turtleneck on.

Sora hummed quietly to herself before pausing. "Would you like to hear a song?" she asked, hoping for a yes.

Mori closed his eyes and squeezed her hand. "Of course. Please begin."

She grinned and cleared her throat.

_I know the sound of each rock and stone  
__And I embrace what others fear  
__You are not to roam in this forgotten place  
__Just the likes of me are welcome here_

_Everything breathes and I know each breath  
__For me it means life, for others it's death  
__It's perfectly balanced, perfectly planned  
__More than enough for this man_

She rolled over, gazing dreamily into his handsome face. "I remember all these songs from when I was little. My mother always sang to me, too. That song, I learned from Alexia, one with nature. She aspires to be a great ballerina, you know. Like a leopard, she's quiet and calm, but her grace shows constantly. We always compare ourselves to animals. Riiko has forever been a puppy, taking life to the fullest and never complaining. Cera is a peacock, of course. She flaunts her beauty every chance she gets. Elaina is a swan, elegant but slightly conceited. Natalia is an extraordinary creature. She always changes, depending on her course in life. I've decided she's an eagle, but not in the majestic way. She follows the wind and lets things take their toll."

Mori opened his eyes to stare at her. "And you?"

"Me? I've been a tiger ever since I can remember. Up close, I can be defensive and ferocious. But deep inside, I am caring and considerate. And I'm pretty, too. Plus, the whole Raja thing actually worked out for me." She laughed. "What about you guys? You give each other types, and I'm confused with those, so explain."

He sighed, happily content with her just talking. "As you know, I am the Wild type. I react largely on my instincts. Mitsukuni is the Loli-shota type. His childlike looks give the impression of innocence. Tamaki is the Prince type, and you should know that by now. He is unselfish but overly dramatic. Hikaru and Kaoru are the Little Devils type. They trick their customers, finishing off with an incestuous act. Kyoya is the Cool type. Very calm and calculating, he can manipulate people easily. Haruhi is the Natural type. Her relaxed demeanor is her selling point. If you were a Host, I'd say you'd be...the Maiden type. You seem like a damsel in distress, but really you're strong, confident and charismatic."

Sora grinned. "And if you were an animal, I'd call you...a bear. Your ability to protect those you care about overshadows all others. Tamaki would be a dog because of his drama and excitement. Kyoya would be a wolf, always prowling. Hikaru and Kaoru would be...monkeys, I believe. Mischievous and funny. Honey would have to be a dolphin, playful but strong. Haruhi would always be a butterfly, letting herself be led by fate. Uh-oh..." She giggled. "My tummy's rumbling. What say we eat and continue this conversation later?"

Mori sat up and dragged the picnic basket over. "If that it what you wish."

* * *

After Sora had her fill of sweets and Mori finished his tea, they raced one another back to the parking lot (surprisingly, Sora had a lead on Mori before he actually pushed himself). Mori picked her up in his arms and carried her to the car; she was so out of breath, she didn't mind when he took the keys from her and sat in the driver's seat. "Okay, Miss Mikage," he teased. "To the fair?" He was so different with her than with the others.

"To the fair," she giggled, throwing up her arms. And she liked it!

Mori laughed and started the engine. As he drove, Sora took in details that weren't as obvious with the others. His shoulders were so broad, his hands so large. His face would crinkle every time he smiled. His eyes would flick onto her every move. "So...you want a Ferrari."

He nodded. "Ever since I first saw one. I asked for one every birthday until I discovered kendo and the martial arts."

"I got mine about two years ago, before I could legally drive...a friend gave it to me."

"Sora, here's the festi-"

"OOH!" Her squeal interrupted his sentence. "IT LOOKS LIKE FUN!" They had just come into view of the festival grounds, and she now understood why it was so commercialized. Rides were on the west end while tents and games covered the east. Mori parked the car at least five hundred feet from the nearest vehicle. Sora jumped out of her seat. "Which end shall we start at?"

"Hmm..." Mori put his finger on his chin. "The games, then the rides?" he offered.

"Good choice." She grabbed his hand and tugged like an anxious child, anticipation in her eyes. "Come on, Mori!"

He laughed. This is why he fell for her; not her looks, but what she hid underneath those looks.

"Step right up!" yelled the juggler. "Games, treats and more if you can hit the tower of milk jugs! A prize if you knock them all down! It's just four tickets!"

Sora slapped down a square of tickets. "One try, please."

"Little lady, if you can knock those down in one try, I'll give you several pri-"

Sora wound up and tossed the ball. CLACK. The tower toppled to the ground. She smirked. "Now how many prizes am I getting?"

"Little lady has some strength!" whistled the hat man next door. "Go on, Ralph! Give her the rewards!" 

The juggler smiled and pointed to a row of stuffed animals above. "Which ones?"

"The lion, the bear, and the wolf."

Ralph handed her the animals. "And what about you?" he winked at Mori. "Gonna win something for your girl?"

Mori smiled, thrilled at the casual comment. "Watch this," he whispered in Sora's ear. "One try."

"Go right on ahead, cowboy!"

Mori aimed carefully and threw the balls. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Four towers of bottles fell over. He winked at the juggler, who gasped and applauded. 

"That makes four of 'em! Which ones?"

"Two of the monkeys, that dolphin, and the dog." 

He handed the animals to Mori. "If you're looking for the girl," he laughed, "she's trying her hand at the basketball game...which looks like a piece of cake for her." Mori turned. "Three shots in a row! Splendid!"

* * *

Mori watched with amusement as Sora won game after game, helping her occasionally. She had him running back and forth buying tickets. They filled an entire black garbage bag with stuffed animals, toy prizes, posters, two giant balloon hammers, a basketball and several beanie babies. "Sora, did you want an entire toy store?" he chuckled as she ran up to him, panting as she finished a game of Toss the Football.

"I may just have one!" she said, holding up the bag. "Can you take these to the car?"

He nodded. "Stay in one place until I get back. I can't imagine the horrors of you being alone."

Sora watched as he sprinted with the bag, weaving in and out of people. "What game shall I play next?" she muttered to herself.

"Come ride a horse and play my game!" She looked over. A riding game was in the field next to them. "The objective of the game is don't fall off and get five rings on the pole!"

Sora licked her lips. Grinning, she skipped over to the fence. "What's the horse's name?" she asked the guy standing next to a beautiful white stallion.

"His name is Jasper, come all the way from Texas! Would you like a ride, ma'am?"

She nodded. "Yes. How many tickets?"

"Twelve, missy. There you go. Have you ever ridden before?"

"Please. I've ridden horses since I was three."

"Then you should be just fine. Okay, lead the horse around that pole and try to get as close as you can. If you get five or more on the pole, you win a prize." 

Sora hopped onto the horse's back. He whinnied. _S'okay, fellow, _she tried to communicate with him. _You'll be safe with me. _The stallion quieted and stood still.

"Go!" yelled the handler.

Sora gently squeezed her knees to Jasper's sides. He obeyed and began to walk. Years of experience told her how hard she should squeeze. Another command, and Jasper began to trot. One, two rings on the slow trot. She circled around and tried again. A third and a fourth. _One more. _She swung him around and threw the fifth ring. It wound down the pole. "Yes!" She punched a fist into the air.

"Help me! He's kidnaped my baby!!" A young woman was kneeling on the grass, screaming. In the near distance, a clown ran through the crowd, a small bundle in his arms shrieking. 

On pure instinct, Sora kicked her heels. "Yah, Jasper!" He took off like a bullet and galloped through the field. He jumped the fences and several open stands.

"HEY!"

"WATCH IT!"

"Coming through!" shouted Sora as more people appeared round the corner of another booth. "Sorry!"

The kidnapper came into view in the parking lot, near the shaded forest. The sun setting made it hard for Sora to see straight. "Agh!" A tree branch cut her cheek, and she felt the wetness begin to trickle down her face.

"SORA?!"

Mori stood by the entrance of the ground, a shocked look on his chiseled face.

"Mori, he took a kid!" 

The tall warrior raced to her side. She paused in the trees. "I can follow him for a while, but I have no clue where he..." She froze. "Did you hear that?"

A wailing cry filled their ears. Mori jumped onto Jasper's back. "Go."

She kicked Jasper and he took off through the woods. "WAH! WAH! WAAAAAAH! WAH!"

The small baby lay in the dirt, his blanket dirty and crying. Mori leaped off and gathered him in his arms. "There, there," he soothed. "We've got you." _That bastard. Just takes a baby and leaves it in the forest. Thank goodness Sora, the Ninth Wonder of the world, was here to rescue him..._

Sora made an about-face with Jasper. "Let's go, Mori!"

With her help, he struggled to get back on the horse. After a few minutes, the baby stopped crying. Mori glared at Sora. "I leave you for five minutes, **five minutes, **and you become a hero. What am I going to do with you?"

Sora laughed. "A few rides should take this off your mind." She gently pressed her knees, and Jasper walked back through the leaves.

* * *

After the whole horse thing, Sora and Mori no longer had to pay for anything at the festival.

"Good job, Mikage!"

"You were awesome, Sora-chan!"

"Where did you learn to ride, at a rodeo?"

"Nice one, Mori-senpai!"

They got on a few rides, as Sora suggested. Several times on the Fireball, a spinning ride that swung people back and forth; twice on the Tornado, another spin ride that went up and down as well as spun; once on the Xtreme, a ride that spun every which way humanity could think of; three times on the Nirvana, a mini roller coaster that went upside down several times; and a few times on the bumper cars. Finally, night fell, and the fair was lit up in no time.

"So," gasped Sora as they exited the Fireball for the last time. "We have done everything we can possibly do at a festival, we won about half their prizes available, and we saved a baby. What **shall** we do next?"

Mori looked away so she couldn't see his flushed face. That last ride had his stomach very unagreeable with him. "How about we calm down and ride the Ferris wheel? The twins stole you away from us at the carnival."

Sora nodded. "Sounds good. Let's get some cotton candy, though. I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," groaned Mori, holding his stomach. "Think I'll pass."

She laughed. "Okay, so that one gotcha at last. You're still riding with me and my sugar."

The worker at the Ferris wheel allowed them on for free, and they got to choose what color carriage they got in. Both students agreed on blue. As they rose into the sky, Sora happily picked pieces of fluff off her cotton candy. "Wow," she muttered softly. "You can see for miles."

Around the grounds, several hundred acres of plains and hills surrounded on three sides. To the south, she could make out the little lights of Tokyo. Small cars rolled on the nearby stretch of highway. The fair wasn't too large, but it was a decent enough size. Sora sighed, having finished her sweet treat in a matter of minutes. "Sometimes, I wonder how a city so big and industrial can be so calm and pretty." She turned her head to Mori. "What do you think?"

He smiled. "I think Japan's beauty cannot compare to yours."

She smiled, too. "Really. That's very nice to hear."

Mori caught a lock of hair escaping the twist on Sora's neck and put it behind her ear. "You never cease to amaze me. That time by the pool, I thought you were shallow and spoiled rotten. But today, you have just proved that you can be a commoner and a rich girl at the same time." They stopped at the very top.

Sora rested her head on his shoulder. "A commoner? How am I a commoner?"

"In many ways, you remind me of Haruhi. I never liked her as more than a friend, but you have that same...spark. When you clearly see through our defensives, how you can easily define us by not what you see, but what you know in your heart. My speech becomes even harder when you look me in the eye. My breath seems to go away. I can't remember my name whenever you walk into a room."

"I see. I make you incoherent, I take your breath away, and I screw up your flow of thoughts. This feels...nice. Comforting. I like it." She leaned away from him. "I like you. A lot." Her voice lowered to a whisper.

He moved his gaze to hers. "And I really like you," he whispered back "A lot."

"So we...like each other."

"It seems so."

Sora tilted her head slightly, smiling as she closed her eyes. Mori leaned in and planted a butterfly kiss on her lips. They began to move in limbo with each other, his hand on the small of her back, her hands around his broad chest. They inched closer, and tongue met tongue. Mori's sweet musky scent filled Sora's nose, and his lips tasted faintly like coffee. It sent shivers down to her toes.

After seeing the two of them, the worker let them go around once more.

* * *

The rain started before Sora could get off the highway. "I have to wash my car," she complained as they turned into the hotel drive. "This sucks."

Mori reached over and kissed her cheek. "I'll go with you tomorrow, if that helps any."

Sora shrugged. "Whatever's fine, as long as we get it done." She unlocked the doors. "Criminy." She was leering at her watch. "It's almost eleven. Sorry I kept you out so late." Truth was, they couldn't keep their lips unglued for long after the fair closed.

Mori sighed. "I have to wake up my driver, then." He reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

"Wait." Sora was already walking ahead of him, her hands folded behind her back. "I have a huge king-sized bed in my suite. Why don't you stay the night? We can order breakfast in the morning, and then you can call your driver?"

He paused to think this over. Did Sora realize how much he wanted to take her in his arms? No, she wasn't that ignorant. "If it's not a bother to you..."

"Hey." She turned haughtily. "I just spent the best of an hour making out with you. Believe me, it's cool."

* * *

Mori rolled over in the bed. The rain was flowing against the windows in sheets, and thunder could be heard in the distance. He vaguely remembered that Haruhi was afraid of lightning and thunder.

He rolled back onto his side. Sora was deeply asleep, her mouth ajar. She murmured and snuggled closer to his torso. Mori smiled and wrapped his arms around her, content. He was startled to feel her long and slender legs wrap around his waist. Her breath fluttered against his chest as she exhaled heavily, the sleep-talking ceasing for an instant.

He fought the strong urge to wake her and advance to the next round. A tiny voice in his head told him she would not be pleased if woken...the female incarnate of a certain young heir.

"Mori," she muttered, twitching slightly. "Takashi..."

"Sora." He gently pressed his lips to her hair, thrilled at her use of his given name. "If only this feeling would last for eternity." Smiling softly, he allowed their twisted limbs passage and fell into a deep sleep.

All in all, it had been a rather good first date.

* * *

Alrighty...There was another version to this chapter that I considered adding to the story, but decided that Mori and Sora would NEVER pull a stunt like...that. But, for your personal enjoyment, I'll have it posted as the next chapter, titled "The Scene that Never Was," or something like that. TTFN! 


	4. The Scene that Never Was

Extra: What Would Have Happened Had Sora Been Less Careful With Mori

**...or simply: The Scene that Never Was**

The rain started before Sora could get off the highway. "I have to wash my car," she complained as they turned into the hotel drive. "This sucks."

Mori reached over and kissed her cheek. "I'll go with you tomorrow, if that helps any."

Sora shrugged. "Whatever's fine, as long as we get it done." She unlocked the doors. "Criminy." She was leering at her watch. "It's almost eleven. Sorry I kept you out so late." Truth was, they couldn't keep their lips unglued for long after the fair closed.

Mori sighed. "I have to wake up my driver, then." He reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

"Wait." Sora was already walking ahead of him, her hands folded behind her back. "I have a huge king-sized bed in my suite. Why don't you stay the night? We can order breakfast in the morning, and then you can call your driver?"

He paused to think this over. Did Sora realize how much he wanted to take her in his arms? No, she wasn't that ignorant. "If it's not a bother to you..."

"Hey." She turned haughtily. "I just spent the best of an hour making out with you. Believe me, it's cool."

He nodded once before taking her hand and heading into the hotel lobby. Just inside the automatic doors, two bellhops greeted them. "Have a good evening!" they sang in unison, bowing as Sora and Mori sought out the warmth of the elevators.

* * *

Sora shivered as he pressed the button to the tenth floor. "Damn, it's cold."

Mori shrugged out of his jacket, taking notice that she was soaked through from the downpour outside. "Here. It should keep you semi-warm."

Suddenly, the elevator came to a halt. "What the...?" Sora glanced expectantly at the doors. _We can't have already gotten to my floor. These elevators don't go that fast. _She mashed the number ten on the wall. "Crap. We're stuck."

Mori carefully wrapped the leather around her, pushing the open door button several times. "It seems so. We'll have to call maintenance."

"Hold on." Sora glared down at the floor, furious. "They think they're doing us a favor." A hint of a blush crept onto her cheeks. "They think we're staying in this hotel for...you know."

He blinked once before laughing quietly. "I should think not."

Sora blushed furiously and turned her gaze to the emergency telephone. "Give them a call."

Mori let one arm slip around her before speaking slowly into the receiver. "Hello? This is Takashi Morinozuka. We are currently stuck in an elevator..." He rolled his eyes as Sora giggled madly at the formality of his voice. "And we are freezing. When will everything be fixed?"

An older woman answered him. "We're sending a repair man up shortly. Just bide your time." In other words, knock 'em dead, tiger!

Mori grimaced before hanging up. "They'll be sending someone up."

Sora leaned against the wall, slipping down to the wet floor. "I guess we'll have to wait it out."

He sat quietly across from her, not trusting himself in this situation. His body currently had its own mind. His heart was hammering loudly against his chest. Thank the Lord Sora didn't have superhuman hearing.

"Mori?"

"Hm?"

"How...I mean, did you enjoy today, as much as I did?"

"Mm-hm."

"Mm."

Silence.

"Sora."

"Yes?"

"Come here." He held out his arms. "I can't have you catching a cold."

Sighing, she folded into his chest, taking in the musky scent of his cologne. "I guess it could be much worse."

"How so?" He touched her hair, caressing it gently.

"We could have gotten in an accident, or my car could have broken down. At least we're inside, away from the rain and cold."

"There isn't much of a temperature difference in here than from outside."

"Yes, there is. You have no idea how considerably **warm** you are." She snuggled closer. "This is enough."

Mori hesitated before leaning his head on hers. "You are, too." He felt her lips at his throat, licking and nuzzling softly. "Sora," he warned. Her tongue did not stop as it traced lines up to his jaw. He could almost hear the click of resolve in her head. "Don't-" He was cut off as she crushed her lips eagerly to his. He returned hesitantly, but threw caution to the winds when he felt her arms lock around his neck. "Sora," he groaned, abandoning her lips in favor of her neck, leaving small bite marks. He felt amused as _Every Heart _by BoApicked up as the elevator music. 

_The perfect music for making love._

Sora clutched his hair in passion, and he responded by twisting his fingers into her own locks. The elevator whirred to life as it resumed its journey to the tenth floor, its only passengers lost in the heat of the moment. Mori tossed his jacket off her shoulders, running his hands down her back. Sora pressed herself closer, yet she was almost on top of him. He leaned her up against the wall, forcing her to stand up. His face was in her stomach as he slowly began to lift the troublesome sleeveless off her body. She felt his mouth molding to the small curve of her tummy, and she moaned, gripping her arms tighter around his back. Standing up, he lifted her so that her legs were wrapped around his waist, and chose to nuzzle her ear instead.

"Mm," she panted. "Mori, the doors opened. We can go."

Mori looked back behind him. The elevator doors had indeed opened to Sora's level. "Right." He stood, and Sora leaned her head on his shoulder as he walked a little too anxiously down the hall to her room, his hand now resting on the material of her bra. She was almost in pain from wanting him. Forgetting they could be caught in the hall, she hurried to undo the snap on her jeans, handing the keycard to Mori as she struggled to pull down her zipper.

"Sora," he chuckled lightly, his hand flitting to hers, stopping her from removing the jeans. "Let me get you inside, then we can start undressing." Not bothering to hide his amusement, he opened the door, his patience irritating Sora.

Gently, he laid her on the king-sized bed and walked back to the entry way, locking the door behind him. He returned to his love's side, and slowly pulled her jeans off her slender legs. He ran a single finger over them, eliciting a gasp from her. Sora moved her head onto a pillow, the emptiness inside her growing by the second. "Mori..." she pleaded. "Mori, please..."

He froze, his hands on her hips. Cautiously, he pulled her back up and reached to unhook her bra. He was startled to feel her hand pushing him back. "Not until your shirt's off," she muttered, undoing the buttons in a frenzy. Smiling, Mori allowed her small hands to roam over his sleek, muscular chest, only pausing on his gorgeous six-pack. Sora reached for his pants, and snapped them off quickly. _Well, that answers the boxers-or-briefs question. _She could tell he was aching from his response to her.

_Alas, Kyoya, you have failed to win her, unlike me. _Triumphant, Mori leaned her back onto the white down comforter, his mind filled with the beautiful image of Sora, and only Sora. 

* * *

**Warning:  
DO NOT READ UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED THE END OF PART THREE!!**

Ahem. Has anyone noticed that Sora fails to mention to both Kyoya and Mori her **supposed **virginity? o.O That alone raises awkward questions. I think I should leave it an extra. Sort of adds to the fact that she picks Kyoya over Mori. Hm, I wonder...did Toya take away her virtue? Let us mourn for a moment, as we consider the possibilities of places being switched.

Okay, moment's over. XD


	5. Chapter 10: Good Enough?

Chapter 10: Good Enough Isn't Good Enough

"Morning," drawled Sora as Mori rubbed his eyes. "I just ordered up some breakfast, and it should be on the way." She danced over to the bed and leaped onto it. "Wake up, sleepyhead. Today, we wash my car and deliver the Morinozuka heir back home in one piece!"

He blinked sleepily. "Uh, th-th-thanks," he yawned. "I need some new clothes," he muttered after looking in the corner. Normally, he slept in his boxers, but he had to be a gentleman last night; he slept in his slacks, which proved to be very uncomfortable, so he took them off anyway. Sora had slept in a lace nightdress that came to her thighs, but if it was normal for her, then he didn't say anything. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, supporting himself on his elbow. 

"Yeah," she said airily. "I slept like a baby. You were the one who held me still, after all." She tugged on the white down comforter. "And you also kissed me anytime I woke up and pretended to sleep-talk."

"You were acting?"

"Hey, when one grows up with the two greatest actresses in Italy, you get pretty good at it, too."

"Oh? And who were these fine actresses you speak of?"

"Elaina and Alexia, remember? They are the ultimate rivals, and they have every right to be."

"I though Alexia was a ballerina."

"As a hobby. She has a part-time job as my bodyguard, but acting is very important to her."

Mori stretched his arms out. "But really. I need new clothes. Do you have a robe or something I can wear?"

"Nonsense! Just tell me your size in pants and shirts, and I'll shop for you downstairs!"

"In the mall area?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Sora, it's fine. I'll wear one of the robes."

"Nope, I'll hide it and your dirty clothes, too."

"Sora..."

"You cannot convince me any other..."

He kissed her a little roughly, his tongue exploring her mouth. He leaned her back onto the bed and kissed her ravenously. Finally, he broke off, his breathing erratic. 

"Any other way." Her voice shook slightly.

Mori groaned. This was going to be a tough battle.

* * *

**"Kyoya, I just heard back from Takiko-you know, the spy-that their date went well! Also, they kissed, and Mori-senpai spent the night!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, MOTHER?! Oh, and Sora wants to meet with us for lunch. Mori-senpai has to go home and apologize to his mother."**

_"Tamaki, calm down. I highly doubt anything like that occurred in her suite last night."_ Kyoya texted Tamaki back before answering the phone. "Kyoya Ootori speaking."

"Kyo-chan." Honey's voice fluttered through the mouth piece. "Have you heard?"

"I take everything Tamaki tells me with a pinch of salt. Is **this** true? Did Mori-senpai spend the night at Sora's suite?"

"Yes, he did. But nothing happened, according to Takashi. They got back really late, and Sora offered her couch to him, I think."

"Well, well. I will be having a chat with Miss Mikage." His voice was as cold as ever. "Please inform Tamaki that I will be eating with Sora alone."

* * *

Mori fiddled with his thumbs as the limo pulled up behind his own in front of the hotel. He looked at Sora. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle him on your own?"

Sora's eyes were like flames as she spoke. "Oh, believe me. I'll be fine."

Kyoya stepped out of the dark car, a glare preventing anyone from seeing the annoyance on his face. "Mori-senpai, leave us," he commanded. "I wish to speak with Sora alone."

Anger flicked across Mori's face. "Do not take such a tone with me, Kyoya. I have done nothing wrong."

_On the contrary, you have. _"Please leave," he ordered again, his voice reminding Sora of a bear trap in wait. "Sora and I have things to discuss."

Mori took one last look at Sora before stepping into his limo. The driver slipped out of the drive. Sora glared at Kyoya. "What is your problem?!"

"My problem is you."

"What the hell did I do?!"

"Allowed a virile male to spend the night in your bed. Do not lie to me," he added darkly, for Sora had opened her mouth. "No hotel furniture could accommodate a tall figure such as Takashi Morinozuka. Only a king-sized bed appears on the list."

"Who told you?"

"Tamaki was under the impression that Mori wasn't good enough for you, so he sent someone to watch you at the festival. A horse, Sora?"

"You were SPYING ON ME?!"

"Correction: **Tamaki **was spying on you. I heard of the plan and agreed with him. To be left alone in the company of a man who not only cares for you, but wants you in a manner-"

"He kept his hands to himself, thank you very much!"

"And you're lucky he is Mori, or we would have a lengthy lawsuit to deal with."

"Go away, Kyoya!" Sora yelled, finally stomping from him into the lobby.

Kyoya followed her. "Sora, wait. Wait. That was extremely rude of me. I apologize." He frowned. "You can call it jealousy. I was up half the night worried that I would never hear from you again, or that you would call me from Jamaica or something."

"WHAT?! ARE YOU INSANE?!"

He bowed. "I'm sorry. This will never happen again. I swear." Kyoya looked up. "Let me make it up to you. I can take you to dinner, just...dinner. I promise. Nothing more."

"Isn't the fact that we're friends good enough for you?"

"Like the saying goes, good enough isn't good enough. I want more. More than I should be allowed. For one night, let me show you how...good of a listener I can be. If you don't like what you see, then I will leave you and...Mori-senpai alone. Please, Sora. Allow me this one chance."

She scowled. "You won't leave unless I accept."

"Exactly. So if you insist on being stubborn, we can enjoy lunch."

The corners of her mouth twitched. "Then I'm gonna be tenacious until then."

* * *

Mori had enjoyed an American breakfast with Sora: bacon, eggs, tea, pancakes, ham, toast and a variety of other goods. Kyoya enjoyed a Chinese lunch with Sora: rice, pork, teriyaki chicken, chow mein, lemonade, dan-dan noodles, and other items to choose from. Both boys struck up conversations about school and Japan. Mori had asked her more about Italy, whereas Kyoya asked more about herself.

"Well, as you may have noticed, I'm a damn good singer. In fact, if I wasn't royalty, I'd still be treated the same way! Two platinum albums and five hit singles are tacked to the top of the list, along with record labels and Concert of the Year. Beat that."

"Fine. My father named me Ootori heir a few days ago, and no one except ourselves knows. He told me I was to find a wife immediately, but I refused to do so until I graduated from Ouran. I am top in all of my classes, and I plan to be valedictorian at graduation."

"I like to pour chocolate milk in my cereal sometimes."

"I find horses and cattle boring."

"I have ridden in several rodeos, buster. Don't badmouth my animals. OH! Speaking of animals, I won you all some prizes at the fair. Mori took some for him and Honey-senpai, so I should give you yours after lunch."

"You will be amazed by my Christmas gift for you."

"As will you."

"I hardly ever get requested by girls at the Host Club, but I manage it financially, so it does not bother me."

"Then I will start requesting you at the Host Club. Ooh, and I bet I can manage it better than you."

"My birthday's in a few days. November 22."

"Don't worry; your Christmas gift counts as both."

"Oh, happy day. And your birthday?"

"In April. A week after Tamaki's. April 16."

"Any more secrets I can sell to the newspapers?"

"I hardly ever get driven anywhere. I like driving myself."

"Opposite for me, although I'd like to have my own car."

"I find spicy foods to be exquisite in taste."

"I hate anything with red meat in it, like steaks and such."

"I agree."

"And I love anything with a sweet taste to it."

"Hm, I disagree." _Unless it's you, _he decided not to add.

Silence fell on them as they finished their meals. "So. Do you accept?"

"I think I do."

* * *

Kaoru leaned over Tamaki's shoulder to read the text message. "Tono, do you think Mori-senpai will be happy if he finds out about this?"

_"Tamaki, I asked her like a gentleman and she said yes. I hope you're happy; there goes my plans for a dinner with potential future business partners. We'll be eating at La Bella Italia, a good Italian restaurant, from what I have been told by Fuyumi-neesan. Sora should be reminded of home, no?"_

Hikaru shook his head. "I think the game is over, brother. This is turning into a full-blown war. What would Mori-senpai say?"

Tamaki shut his cell phone. "He would be furious with the lot of us. An Italian restaurant! We must join them, but keep out of sight! Out of sight, out of mind!"

"Out of danger," Kaoru muttered. "We'll be signing our death warrants if Kyoya finds out."

They had spent the afternoon trying to decide where Kyoya should take Sora out on their first date. Somewhere familiar, but still exquisite. His older sister, Fuyumi, had slyly suggested to Tamaki in an email ("Kyoya-kun has finally fallen in love?! Hurray!") that an Italian restaurant would be good. And then she turned around and asked Kyoya outright. He knew who had told her, but he was thrilled that he would finally get a chance with Sora that he ignored Tamaki's apologies.

"Tamaki-senpai..." Haruhi appeared in the doorway, holding a tray of tea. "Why you are here instead of at home, I neither know nor care. But please, don't upset Kyoya-senpai in a bad way. He'll be all over us at school."

Tamaki rushed to grasp the tray from her trembling hands. "My dear daughter, would Daddy ever let Mother down? I think not!"

Hikaru snickered. "Not on purpose, anyway. Hey, Haruhi. Have you seen what Sora gave us from Fall Fest? Check them out!" He pointed to a bag against the wall.

Haruhi opened it carefully. Two grinning stuffed monkeys, a basketball and two giant balloon hammers were crammed into the sack. "That's so sweet of her. Tamaki-senpai got a stuffed dog and two beanie babies, a panda and a tiger."

Kaoru sauntered over to wrap an arm around her shoulder. "And you, Haruhi? Did you receive anything from her?"

"Yes, actually, I did. She won me two posters and a collection of beanie babies. Things I don't really need, but they're nice, nonetheless."

Tamaki flung himself onto her couch. "If we plan to spy on Kyoya and Sora, we should do it as a group. Mori-senpai doesn't need to know, though, okay? He'll murder Kyoya and then us."

DING-DONG. The doorbell rang. "Coming!" cried Haruhi. "That should be Honey-senpai. You invited him over, too," she muttered, a dark look coming over her face, but Tamaki and the twins ignored it and began a debate on the best possible course of action. Haruhi rushed to open the door. "Hello, Honey-senpai."

Honey bounced on the balls of his feet. "Haru-chan! Are the others here already?"

"They're in the living room, planning the scheme. Leave me out of this." She turned and headed back to continue cleaning the rest of the apartment.

Tamaki scratched his head. "La Bella Italia has two floors. What if we station ourselves on the first floor and send people up to the restroom one at a time?"

Kaoru shook his head. "No, that wouldn't work. He'd see us. What if we wear disguises and have microphones on?"

"He'd still hear us," pointed out Hikaru. "Maybe we send Tono upstairs, he wears a mike, and we listen in?"

"That's convenient," said Honey as he sat beside Hikaru. "Tama-chan is good with disguises. Maybe we can combine all three ideas somehow?"

"Except Tono's idea. It's retarded."

"No, it's moronic. A little nicer, please, Hikaru."

"What if Hika-chan and Kao-chan reserve a table upstairs and hide in plain sight?"

"Kyoya-senpai isn't stupid, he'll see right through us."

"If I may offer my opinion," called Haruhi from the kitchen. "Why don't we send someone they don't know, equip them with the best electronic spy system in Tokyo, and listen in a van or something?"

"PERFECT IDEA, HARUHI!"

Honey sighed. _Whatever happened to letting things occur naturally?_


	6. Chapter 11: Ouran Performance

Chapter 11: Ouran Performance

It was a regular Tuesday afternoon in the Host Club. The last few days had passed by without much drama. Mori and Honey continued sitting with the others at lunch, but Sora refused to sit with anyone while the entire rivalry between two certain Hosts was going on. Kyoya never sat less than two seats from Mori, and Mori kept his eyes on Kyoya when Sora chose to ignore her statement. 

Suddenly, a large platform rose from under the Third Music Room. "Hey, everybody!" exclaimed Renge. "Have you heard? Sora's gonna perform at the Talent Show tomorrow night!" She jumped to the floor. "She's gonna sing two songs, with Tamaki playing on the piano!"

Tamaki paled as the hosts and customers stared at him. "What? She offered me! And I have to promise not to call her my niece as much! She did say my Christmas gift will make up for it!"

Mori turned to Honey, who was chattering with the girls. "Forgive me for interrupting. Mitsukuni, has Sora mentioned anything to you about our presents, anything at all? She keeps insisting they're the best ones we'll ever get, but not so much as a hint from her yet."

Honey smiled apologetically to the girls and looked at his cousin. "No, Takashi. But I put my faith in Sora-chan. She won't let us down."

BAM! A sudden crash alerted everyone in the vicinity. Hikaru and Kaoru were rolling on the floor, laughing their heads off, their customers looking horrified. Several of their gazes flickered over to Mori's couch. Tamaki stood above the twins, horrified. "You can't be serious!" he kept yelling. "You must be joking! She wouldn't dare!!"

Haruhi looked up from her fifth cup of instant coffee. "Senpai, they don't mean it."

Honey looked confused. "Don't mean what?"

Kyoya strolled by their couch. "They don't really mean that Mori and Sora ran off to Fiji to get married. That idiot will believe anything." His sly smirk sent shivers down Mori's customers.

He scowled. Who told the twins about he and Sora? Not Haruhi. She was the best secret keeper he knew. Unless...he turned his scowl to Kyoya, who sat at the farthest couch, typing away on his laptop.

With Sora sitting not six inches away from him. 

"Kyoya, you spend way too much time on that computer," she commented sipping her tea. Kyoya smiled and continued to type fast.

Rage flared in Mori, something he'd never truly felt before. Did Sora request him as a host? He hardly ever had customers, spending the entire hour on that freaking computer of his. His eyes narrowed even more as she moved closer to Kyoya, practically breathing down his neck. Needless to say, Kyoya didn't mind the least.

"Tamaki doesn't know the accompaniment to the songs, so I offered to buy sheet music for him this afternoon. At the moment, I'm looking for only the best music centered store. That is, if you don't mind."

"Not in the least. I need to practice for my part, anyway. I'll go along to make sure it's the same. And to keep that one" She glanced at Tamaki, who was now kneeling on the floor, possibly imagining the make-believe wedding. "In check. I seriously doubt he'll take anything lightly anymore after that comment."

Haruhi wandered over to their couch, her customers trying to cheer up Tamaki. "You guys going to a music shop? Great. I'll tag along and keep Tamaki company." It was oblivious to all but Mori. Haruhi was doing a damn good job at playing matchmaker.

* * *

Tamaki scrambled up the stairs to the mall. "Hurry! If we run, we'll still make it-ACK!!" A large frisbee made him freeze in his tracks. "The park is that way, _mon ami_!"

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Tamaki-senpai, the parlor closes in more than an hour. We have a lot of time."

Kyoya paused to wait for Sora, who was absorbed in her sheet music. "So so so so...so fa mi. So so so so...so fa mi. Mi mi mi mi...re mi la so la mi. So so so so...so fa mi. So so so so...so fa mi. Mi...do la so la mi. La ti do so...do so..." She paused. "Key change," she muttered, pulling a mechanical pencil out of her pocket and scribbling down something. "Re...ti re...ti re fa mi re do. Ti do re...ti re...ti re fa mi re do. Crap, I hate key changes...uh, ti la so...damn."

He chuckled. "Let's wait until we stop in the parlor, Sora."

She laughed. "I suppose you're right. Seriously, though. I hate key changes."

"Sora," said Haruhi through clenched teeth, "can I please leave now? I need to study, and he's getting on my nerves!" Tamaki was anxiously bouncing at the top of the stairs, his eyes pleading.

"Um, I guess so!"

"Thanks!" She waved goodbye to Tamaki and Kyoya before heading to the limo. "I'll tell Hans Christian Tarantino to come back for you guys!"

"Excuse me?" asked Kyoya, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You have a chauffeur? Since when?"

"Since Mori completely freaked on my driving. He hired Samanosuke Testuna, who is more stoic than him. I call him a number of nicknames, but Haruhi likes the few American ones."

"MOTHER! WILL YOU MAKE HER HURRY UP!"

"We're COMING!!"

Kyoya smirked. _Nicknames, eh? _"Then may I be allowed a nickname or two?"

"Who? For you? You have plenty."

"Do I?"

"Yeah. Kyo-chan, Mother, Devil, Shadow...hey!" Tamaki grabbed her in desperation to keep Kyoya happy for the rest of the night.

"Come on, Kyoya! The ice cream awaits us!"

* * *

Sora wrung her hands, anxious as the next performers traipsed off the stage to scattered applause. "This crowd is really tough to please," she squeaked.

Renge massaged her shoulders. "Nonsense! You have a natural talent, my dear! They're just very critical and judgmental of some people."

"Gee, that helps a lot, Renge. Thanks."

Tamaki paced back and forth, sweat pouring down his face. "What if I screw up? What if I humiliate myself? What if my piano out of tune? What shall I do?"

Honey pulled back the curtain. "Sora-chan, get ready! Your act's on after this!"

Tamaki practically shrieked in alarm.

"Tamaki, calm down," soothed Sora. "We'll do fine. Let's just do things like we do in rehearsal."

"You mean you sit on the piano, sing, then take breaks to-"

She smacked her hand over his mouth as Renge's look became puzzled. "Now, now. No need to be too informative."

Honey's cute voice filled the large auditorium. "And now, please welcome our new transfer student, Sora Mikage! Accompanied by Tamaki Suou on the piano!"

Tamaki froze in his pacing. "Let's go!" Sora tugged on his arm before he budged an inch.

A great round of applause greeted them as they walked across the stage. Tamaki was visibly shuddering by now. Sora took deep breaths as she approached the mike. She nodded at Tamaki, who began the music.

_I lose my way  
__No one cares  
__The words I say  
__No one hears  
__My life, it seems  
__Is a world of dreams_

_Deep in the night  
__You'll find me  
__Dream and you're right  
__Beside me  
__Stay if you will stay  
__We'll dream the night away_

_Dreams to dream  
__In the dark of the night  
__When the world goes wrong  
__I can still make it right  
__I can see so far in my dreams  
__I'll follow my dreams  
__Until they come true_

_There is a star  
__Waiting to guide us  
__Shining inside us  
__When we close our eyes_

_Come with me  
__You will see what I mean  
__There's a world in sight  
__No one else ever sees  
__You will go so far in my dreams  
__Somewhere in my dreams  
__Your dreams will come true_

_Oh, don't let go  
__If you stay close to me  
__In my dreams tonight  
__You will see what I see  
__Dreams to dream as near as can be  
__Inside you and me  
__Will always come true  
__Inside you and me  
__Your dreams will come true_

A brief moment of deafening silence filled her ears before the screams and cheers came. Tamaki gave her a thumbs up before popping his fingers and starting a new song.

_You took your coat off  
__Stood in the rain  
__You're always crazy like that  
__And I watched from my window  
__Always felt I was outside  
__Looking in on you_

_You're always the mysterious one  
__With dark eyes and careless hair  
__You were fashionably sensitive  
__But too cool to care  
__You stood in my doorway  
__With nothing to say  
__Besides some comment on the weather  
__  
Well, in case you failed to notice  
__In case you failed to see  
__This is my heart  
__Bleeding before you  
__This is me down on my knees_

_And these foolish games  
__Are tearing me apart  
__And your thoughtless words  
__Are breaking my heart  
__You're breaking my heart_

_You're always brilliant in the morning  
__Smoking your cigarettes  
__And talking over coffee  
__Your philosophies on art, Baroque moved you  
__You loved Mozart and you'd speak of your loved ones  
__While I clumsily strummed my guitar_

_Well, excuse me  
__Guess I've mistaken you  
__For somebody else  
__Somebody who gave a damn  
__Somebody more like myself_

_And these foolish games  
__Are tearing me  
__Tearing me  
__Tearing me apart  
__And your thoughtless words  
__Are breaking my heart  
__You're breaking my heart_

_You took your coat off  
__Stood in the rain  
__You're always crazy like that _

Once again, roaring applause sounded in Sora's ears as she bowed before walking offstage."Never again," she hissed at Renge, who was clapping enthusiastically. "Tamaki, stop twitching. You did excellent."

He caught her in an exuberant bear hug. "We did it, Sora! We were well-received, too!"

A large hand came down on the small of her back. "Let her go, Tamaki." Mori and the others had come backstage, beaming. His smile made her heart flutter. "You were amazing, Sora."

Honey was jumping around them in small circles. "Sora-chan! Tama-chan! I hope you place!"

The twins encircled Sora with their arms. "Didn't we say you would do good at lunch? Huh?"

"You did outstanding," said Kyoya, holding back Tamaki from flinging his arms around Sora again. "Only two more acts remain before the judging. Want to watch?"

Haruhi came running from the stairs leading to the audience. "Sora! You'll never believe who's here!" Her face was flushed from the exercise, but she looked bewildered. "Your father flew in to visit you last night. He was just talking to me! And Kyoya's and Mori-senpai's fathers were beside him!"

Sora frowned heavily. "Really?" she muttered darkly. "Fine. Where is he?"

"Center row, on the left. He thought you were better than any other act."

Kyoya snagged her arm and twisted Haruhi around. "Did you just say that my father was here?"

Mori nodded. "And mine, also?"

Haruhi nodded vigorously. "As a matter of fact, Tamaki-senpai's father showed up right before Sora went on. And he believed you did well, senpai!"

Sora turned toward the stairs. "He wants to see me, Haruhi?"

"He didn't say anything about"

"But that's how it is with my father. Comes to tell me something about land or profits or how he finally tracked down my brother, and then he goes away for several months, expecting me to watch over Genova in his stead. That bastard." Her walk became very business-like, and her voice turned to a snap. "Always pulls this crap. Thinks I'll just listen to him, eh? Well, he's got another thing coming." She marched down the steps, her fists clenched.

"Sora, wait!" Tamaki ran after her. "Don't do anything harsh, or stupid!"

The Host Club followed quickly, and they saw Sora turn into the main aisle, practically flying down the carpet.

"Sora!" Haruhi's voice was desperate. "Just calm down and think through this rationally!"

She ignored him. "Father." Her voice rang out clearly.

A man in his early forties turned to Sora. His face was excited as he looked at his daughter. His clothes perfectly accented his prestige: a dark suit worth millions. "Sora, my sweet daughter! You did very fine, indeed!" Honey glanced at a dark briefcase beside his chair.

_HRM Takimaru Mikage. _So this was Sora's father.

"What are you doing here? My singing didn't attract you to Japan, so what did? New land? More associations with potential husbands for me? Or perhaps you have acquired a taste for Japanese food and decided you'd, what, drop by?" The hosts shrunk back into the aisle. They'd never heard Sora in that tone of voice. As if she hated the man in front of her.

"I have engaged with a longtime friend, and he held some interesting news. Ah, this must be the lad," he said, gazing over Sora's shoulder. "You're Yoshio's youngest, aren't you?"

Tamaki's mouth dropped. Mori scowled. Kyoya merely adjusted his glasses. "Yes, I am. Kyoya Ootori, sir. I've heard some interesting things about you, as well." His eyes didn't reach his smile. They had fire in them, a fire screaming with fury. "What news have you?"

King Takimaru sighed. "That my daughter is in love!"

Silence followed these words. Then Sora started laughing. "In love? With who? I'm not in love! At least, not yet! Father, how hilarious! Who fed you this ridiculous concept? Riiko? Or Cera? Maybe even Alexia!" Her laughter rang out again. 

"No, my dear daughter," he gasped. "My friend, Yoshio Ootori, explained that you were dating his youngest son!"

Sora began to laugh once more. "That's too funny!"

Kyoya dropped his impassive posture. _How did my father know about this? And what the hell is happening? Sora Mikage, telling a downright lie to her own father??_

"Sora, my dear?" King Takimaru was glaring at her suspiciously. "Yoshio never lies."

"I never called him a liar, Father. Nor am I in love with Kyoya!" She smiled softly. "Though I won't deny that we're dating. But, you see, he's not the only candidate." Her smile fell on Kyoya and Mori, who were sporting looks of shock. "Kyoya Ootori and Takashi Morinozuka are both vying for my heart. I'll be leaving it up to fate for the outcome." She smiled wider. "Now, Father...why are you in contact with Kyoya's father? One of the girls must've told you. Spill. NOW."

King Takimaru fidgeted with his tie, and stared down at his shoes. "Young Miss Romanov."

"I see. Tamaki, where is my phone?"

Tamaki stuttered. "Oh, right here, Sora. You, uh, asked me to hold it for you."

"Let me have it." With trembling fingers, Tamaki reluctantly handed her a small silver cell phone. Calmly, she dialed a number and put the phone to her ear. She paused for a moment, then spoke quietly but lethally. "You are dead. Do you understand me? **Dead** when I return home. The paparazzi will look like kittens when I get back."

She hung up. "Father, forgive me for my earlier actions. These are my friends. You know Mori and Kyoya. Of course you know your niece. This is Tamaki Suou, Mitsukuni Haninozuka, and the Hitachiin brothers, Hikaru and Kaoru. Over by the backdrop is Renge, the manager of the club. Now, let's sit, watch the others perform, and then hope for the best."

* * *

Mori removed his shoes and flung himself onto the nearest couch. "Tea," he groaned into the pillow.

Honey sat on the floor, facing him. "Are you upset?"

Mori grunted something.

"NO!" Honey was on his feet in an instant. "That is barbaric! Don't give up, Takashi!!"

Mori grunted again, slowly dragging his body up. "I don't believe I can ever win her totally, Mitsukuni. I'll always know her father and her friends preferred him over me. So I am giving in to Kyoya. I'll tell Sora tomorrow."

"Takashi?" Honey was leering angrily at him. "If I may give some humble advice...do not give up on her, please. If she is the woman of your dreams, then go after her. If I were you, I'd fight until I won her or she chose the other. So don't give up because of your fears."

"I love her," Mori confessed, burying his head into his hands. "I love her more than she loves me, and I can't control it, Mitsukuni. What if I lose her, after trying so hard not to?"

"I'd rather lose someone than give them up," he muttered, still angry.

Mori stared after his cousin as he left the house. _Perhaps he's right. Maybe...I am going about this the wrong way._


	7. Chapter 12: A Night with Kyoya

Chapter 12: A Night With Kyoya

"So," Kyoya said, taking Sora's hand as they left the hotel lobby. "We are going to _La Bella Italia_, the most authentic Italian restaurant in the city, and then we'll go for a walk on my family's private beach area. Does that sound agreeable?"

She laughed. "Very much so. What has gotten into you lately? You seem so different with me than you do with the Host Club. Are you planning something?"

Kyoya's chauffeur opened the door to the limo, bowing. Kyoya helped her in. He had asked her to dress business casual (which was semi-formal for commoners), since they were representing Ouran, and she choose a basic black dress with a shawl and black open-toe heels. He wore a white shirt, black tie, and black dress slacks.

"If I may so," he smirked, "I am trying to get into your father's good graces. That way, if something goes horribly wrong, he'll have my back, I believe the saying goes."

Sora gasped. "Horribly wrong? Like, if I dump you or something?"

"Hm, more along the lines of, if it should come to fisticuffs."

She frowned. More than ever, Kyoya and Mori were trying to one up each other when it came to her. Just last Monday, Mori gave her a dozen roses when she arrived at school, ending with a small peck on the cheek before class started! Then, on Friday, Kyoya had asked her if she would like to walk with him to English, and casually sneaked his hand into her back pocket! Later, he made matters worse by "accidentally" kissing her square on the lips after a fake trip. Half the girls in their History class swooned. Then, on Saturday, the gang showed up at her suite with volunteer service to the hotel ready. Both Mori and Kyoya worked with their shirts off, much to the delight of the day maids.

"Behave, please. Mori would love a fight as much as the next guy out there, especially if I'm the unethical prize. Besides, I would just go in and beat the crap out of the two of you, so it doesn't matter. Let's just enjoy ourselves for tonight and try not to do anything we'll regret."

"Such as?"

"I know that tone, buster. Quit it."

* * *

They arrived at the restaurant, and Kyoya made sure the driver would return for them by eight. Two hostesses opened the doors to the elite dining place. Another stood behind a podium. "_Benvenuto! Tabella per due?"_

Kyoya looked at Sora, who replied, _"Si. Abbiamo avuti una prenotazione, io crediamo. _Kyoya?" Her head was tilted sideways, casting a curious glance his way. "You okay?"

He smiled and nodded. "I'm fine."

She turned back to the hostess. _"Siete il capo."_ The girl nodded and led them upstairs to a private partition of booths. 

"You speak fluent _Italiana, _eh?" she asked as they sat down.

Sora laughed. "Although I was born here, I've lived in Italy for most of my life so far. _Manco a volte la sede, ma no e cosi difettoso. E voi?"_

"My mother's from Venezia, and my father lives here, in Tokyo. Your server will be with you shortly." She smiled warmly at them before bowing out of the room.

Kyoya folded his hands under his chin. "You simply amaze me. It would seem that Japanese is your first language, yet your tongue rolls off those words as elegantly."

Sora shrugged. "Italian's easier for me. I grew up speaking the language, and when I was six my mother began to teach me Japanese. Later on, when I became more fluent, I began to learn French. My father taught me English before I went to America for a school opportunity. It was the most difficult language I learned. So many different ways to describe a single word!"

He chuckled. "So princess duties first, then school, and social life comes last?"

"Pretty much. Except now it's school then my social life. My father decided I needed a break from being a princess."

"Yet the title never escapes you."

"Despite all my tries, I was never normal. I was born royal, and I will die royal. Simple as that."

"That's not fair," Kyoya scoffed. "Ah, here is our waiter."

The young man bowed, his gaze locked on Sora. _"Buona sera. Sono il vostro cameriere, Angelo, e saro serving voi. Che cosa desiderate bere?_"

Sora ran her finger down the wine list. Nothing caught her interest, so she said, "I'll have an iced tea."

"Two iced teas."

He bowed and left the room.

"What do you suggest I get? The _Pollo _Rosa Maria always satisfies me, but is there something else that you prefer?"

"Yes, the _Pollo _Brian. Or you can get the _Pollo _Trio and try the Marsala, the Brian and the Rosa Maria. They're all really good. Myself, I like the _Pollo _Marsala, with sauteed mushrooms and the fettuccini Alfredo. It's delicious, if I do say so."

Angelo appeared once more with their drinks, his eyes taking in her figure. "Any appetizers?"

Sora shook her head. "We're ready to order. I'll have the Chicken Marsala, with the sauteed mushrooms and...I'll have the _cavatappi_."

"And soup or salad?"

"The Venetian Chicken soup, please."

"Uh-huh. And you, _signore_?" Sora couldn't help but notice the slight mocking tone in his voice.

"I'll have the Chicken Trio, with the fettuccini Alfredo and the wine sauce."

"Soup or salad?" 

"The house salad, spicy Italian."

"_Si. _Be back with bread and the herbs and olive oil."

When they were alone, Kyoya reached across the table and stroked her cheek. She smiled. "Like I said, behave yourself. It's not everyday one sees the Ootori heir courting a lady such as myself. The press would have a field day."

"Which brings me to another question. The day before we met you at the Park Hyatt, Haruhi said something, and...well, it's been bothering me." He glanced up through his eyelashes, unintentionally seductive.

"Shoot."

"Why are you here?"

"Be a little specific."

"Why did your father send you to Japan?"

"I just told you, to give me a break from princess duties."

"Be a little specific."

Her eyes intensified. "Not here, Kyoya. When we have absolute privacy."

"We are alone in an area I had reserved for just the two of us."

"Uh, hate to burst your bubble, but the rest of our friends couldn't wait for all the details and are now currently spying on us."

"What?" Kyoya half-rose from his seat, a murderous expression on his face.

"Calm down. They're sending Tamaki up to check on us, followed by Hikaru and Kaoru, then Honey. Their first plan was to set up a hidden microphone, but it failed dismally. I turned down the dress the twins offered me. It's okay," she added sternly as he rose again. "They're just boys. Haruhi didn't even bother coming. And I think Mori's still at the dojo. So it's nothing to get worked up about."

"Fine," he sighed, closing his eyes and taking his seat again. "If you insist. But I will be ensuring that Tamaki and the others find it difficult to get out of bed tomorrow morning."

Angelo came back with bread and the olive oil. "Leave Honey alone," she whispered. "He's acting on Mori's orders, more than likely."

"Which is exactly why none of them will be attending school tomorrow."

* * *

After they left a very generous tip, Kyoya called his driver and he ordered to be taken to their other private beach since their first choice was gone. Sora scooted closer to Kyoya as the last bands of sunlight disappeared from the sky. He put an arm around her shoulder. "Tired?"

"Not in the least. Just thinking."

"About?"

"What life would be like if there were no schedules, no predetermined destinies. There should only be time, and what we do with it."

"Your life was planned out for you?"

"Since as long as I can remember."

"Enlighten me."

"I don't know."

He lifted her chin. "Are you afraid of my comments?"

"More your reaction than anything."

"If you don't tell me, I'll just assume the worst."

She silently inhaled. "Still...I saw your expression when Mori gave me a kiss on the cheek. I can't say if you'll take this very well."

Kyoya grinned. "It seems I'll have to tamper with your memory."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

He brought her face closer to his own. Still grinning, he brushed his lips against hers. "Are you still worried that I will not take kindly to your past?" he asked, his breath fluttering in her face.

"Y-y-yes," she stammered, fighting to keep her mind focused.

"And how about now?" He trailed a line of kisses down her cheek.

"Uhhhhhh..."

"And now?" He very gently pressed his lips to hers.

"Mm-mm." Her arms twined around his neck, urging him closer.

He laughed and broke off. "Good. Now tell me."

She groaned. "Cheater."

The limo stopped. "We've arrived, sir."

Kyoya held out his hand. "We walk, you talk."

Sora smiled sadly and stepped out onto the white sand. "Don't say I didn't warn you."


	8. Chapter 13: Who I Am

Chapter 13: Who I Am

The waves were small but powerful as they crashed onto shore. Kyoya and Sora removed their shoes and walked hand-in-hand in the waves. The moon was just beginning to peek over the horizon. A few seagulls flew overhead, squawking. In the distance, a foghorn sounded.

"Start from the beginning."

Sora sighed. "You're not going to like it." She threw a glance over her shoulder. Unbeknownst to Kyoya, the four boys had taken the spying to the extreme and followed them to the beach. "But I guess I have no choice...

"I was born to Takimaru and Nanami Mikage on April 16, 1988, in Niigata. They had another child, Yusuke. He's my older brother, three years my senior. We stayed in Japan for a few months, to my knowledge, before Italy called us away. We grew up as the royal family of Genova; my father was the true royal one. His father had just died and he now had the task of king on his shoulders. Needless to say, my mother was soon indited as queen.

"A few years passed, and several large families moved into our kingdom: the Spinellis of Napoli, the Romanovs of Russia, and the Chinibes of Northern Japan. I met the younger kids at a party when I was five. Riiko and Toya Chinibe, a brother and sister who looked nothing alike, except the eyes; Alexia Spinelli, a tall brunette who I believed to be mute for a time; and Cera Romanov, the last pure Romanov alive. She, too, had the royal spotlight like myself. We all became close friends in a matter of days. They lived not too far from the Palazzo dei Mikage, our main palace, so I visited them every day after studies.

"Riiko has forever been my best friend. Our differences in height didn't affect much of our relationship. We were so close, if it weren't for our hair color, we could've been sisters. She has always had my back, and I always had hers. 

"After she got past her shyness, Alexia proved to be very loyal. Her family was soon hired to protect mine, and we spent every waking minute together, and she always remained quiet to 'keep her thoughts in check.' She was much like my mother, who did the same.

"Cera was a unique royal. Unlike myself, she lived up to her name. If there wasn't a camera around, Cera would model for us. She hammed up the spotlight on a daily basis. She was so used to fame and fortune. My own spotlight was dim, on account of my mother making our lives as normal as possible. I consider her my partner in crime, as the Americans say.

"However, Toya, Riiko's younger brother, intrigued me from the start. He was a bigger loudmouth than Tamaki, but when I joined the conversation, he got all quiet and stopped talking."

In reality, Sora was looking at Kyoya directly. But her eyes held the mist of the past, and he tried to focus on her words more now.

"Three years flew by, and something weird happened. My mother became violently ill, and she was pregnant with my younger brother, Chichiri. Days passed, then weeks, then months, and finally, she seemed to have healed. She went into labor a few days before her birthday, and then...everything went to hell for my family. An error occurred during the birth, and my brother didn't make it. Worse still, the failed birthing caused internal bleeding in my mother's womb, and there was nothing we could do. My father decided to remarry in order to keep his claim on the throne. A brand new royal family would be horrible for our country in that time of tragedy. But after a year, they divorced. 

"I grew up surrounded by friends. Riiko and Alexia helped me during that dark period, and Cera stayed at the palazzo more than once a week. I noticed a change in Toya's behavior. He talked in front of me more often, and he was as dear a friend as the others. But they couldn't help for the next tragedy. Four years passed, and my brother became distant to me and my father. After talking to his friends, we learned he was doing drugs heavily. We tried to have him go to a shrink, but he just wouldn't listen. For a entire month, he was clean. Then one night, he and his friends stole a yacht and crashed it a few miles from our beach house. After my father made sure he wasn't hurt, Chichiri was disowned from the Mikage family. He was relocated to Australia, where he should be to this day.

"So far, my life sucked horribly. My younger brother and mother died during childbirth, and my only other sibling was let go from my father. All I ever had was my friends and my father, and the latter always had business trips and family matters to attend to. His own daughter was raised by the servants and the families of her close friends. I don't hate my father, but I despise him. He never truly raised me except before my mother's death. It's like nothing else mattered after she died. Even his own children were ignored! Luckily, I met the twins at an art show one day. Natalia and Elaina Capo became my new close friends afterwards. Blondes and my age, I was jubilant. Not even my father's ignorance of me could have brought me down.

"When I turned fourteen, there was a significant change in the atmosphere around Toya, who was seventeen at the time. Riiko soon told me that he had fallen head over heels in love with me. However, there was a flaw. I was too young, and I was royal. Although their family was important, there wasn't a drop of royal blood in the Chinibes' veins. Yet he worked up the courage to ask me out, and I accepted. They weren't real dates, but it didn't matter to us. We had a more-than-average schoolyard romance, if you will. But with my luck, something always screwed up my plans."

Sora sighed, and her voice became slightly shaky. "It was the night of my fifteenth birthday. He had taken me to the art museum in Rome that day. Before it closed, he helped me onto the rooftop and I witnessed the best view of the city. We stood there for a while before we headed back through the museum. That's when we heard the robbers. They sounded American, and they were getting closer to the roof. When they appeared in the medieval exhibition, Toya became very protective of me. They thought..." Her throat closed up. "They thought he was a guard, so..." She looked away.

Kyoya lifted her chin. "What happened?"

"They shot at us," she whispered, her eyes welling up. "He grabbed my hand and we ran for it. We came to a closet, and he shoved me inside. I heard footsteps. 'Where's the girl?' asked one of the men. 'She's safe,' Toya replied. 'You'll never touch her.' I heard several gunshots, followed by grunts and other sounds. Then...a single gunshot rang out. I heard something hit the floor outside. Fearing the worst, I began to scream. One of the night guards heard and came to my rescue. 'Who's there?!' he yelled. I heard a thump, and a bunch of running footsteps. The guard had spooked them from downstairs. I opened the door when I was sure everything was quiet. But it was too quiet..."

The tears flowed freely now, and Kyoya dropped his hand. "Sora?" he asked hesitantly.

Honey sniffled in the shadow of a tree. Hikaru was looking wary, and Kaoru had his face in his hands. It was too dark to see the King's face.

"He was lying on the floor, not a foot from the closet, broken, a pool of blood around his head. I was too shocked to say anything. I just stared at his lifeless body. He would never laugh again, never smile, never sneak a kiss with me ever again. Sobbing, I cradled his head until I could cry no longer, his name repeated out loud by my voice over and over until it was etched in my mind.

"The grief and pain were overwhelming. I stumbled back to the waiting car. My driver noticed I was alone, and the dried blood on my hands. He helped me into the car and sped off. The girls were waiting for our return...my return now. Elaina opened the door to my room when I arrived. She spotted the blood on my hands first, and screamed in agony. The others rushed forward and saw it, too. Alexia was speechless for a different reason, and Natalia broke down. Cera, too, had cried the instant she realized I had returned alone. But I sought Riiko's face. She was staring at my hands with an odd look on her face. 'What happened?' she asked, still staring. 'Robbers,' I whispered. 'Men with guns. Chased us. He told me to hide in a closet. Heard a gunshot.'

"It was too much for me after I said that. I ran as far from the palazzo as I could, until I tripped over a rock, and stumbled down into a dark ditch..."

* * *

_Sora ran as hard as she possibly could. Shouts were heard from the front gate, but she didn't look back. Nothing else mattered except escaping the confines of her own memories. Like an echo, she heard the final gunshot in her head, and the loud thump of his body hitting the floor. _

_Suddenly, she felt the earth disappear beneath her. She rolled into a nearby ditch, dirt flying into her eyes. She tripped on something, a rock or a root, something hard...it was overwhelming. The grief, the pain, the horror. Sora couldn't control it any longer._

"_TOYA!!" she screamed into the night, holding her chest tightly as the pain threatened its collapse. "TOYA!! TOYA!! WHY?! WHY?! Why...why...why..."_

_She laid back down, her sobs ripping holes in the air. "Why...why him...why him...WHY HIM?!" she screamed at the sky. "WHY HIM?! HE WAS MINE!! DO YOU HEAR ME?! __MINE!! NOT YOURS!! **NEVER** YOURS!!" She pounded the ground with her fists._

"_Sora?" Riiko had followed her outside. "Sora?"_

"_HE WAS MINE!!" Sora screamed again, flinging rocks everywhere. "HE-WAS-MINE!!" Her voice was quickly fading. "Mine...mine...mine..."_

"_Please stop it." Riiko was kneeling on the ground, tears falling fast into the dirt. "Don't hate Him, Sora. Please. It was out of our hands. Besides, I know how you feel." She looked into Sora's furious eyes. "I LOST MY BIG BROTHER!!" Sora stared, gasping for breath, as Riiko fell to the ground. Sora shuddered and crawled to her best friend's side and wrapped her arms around her. They sobbed together as rain fell; the sky was also mourning tonight. _

Kyoya and Sora returned to the car after night had fallen. Silence filled the interior as they drove back to the city limits. All that was heard were the brief sniffles of Sora. Kyoya's knuckles were white as they grasped his knees. Tamaki and the other hosts followed in their cars behind them.

He spoke. "I will completely understand if you wish to stop seeing me."

Sora's head turned slightly away from the window. "Why would I want that?"

"I just made you relive the worst day in your life. Who would want to be around me after that?"

"Me. And your friends, who by the way, heard everything, as well."

"Sora, be serious."

"I am one hundred percent serious." She turned entirely towards him, not a single hint of humor on her beautiful but tear-stained face. "Why on earth would I stop seeing you for such a reason? I live with those memories everyday. One more couldn't hurt." 

"I forced you to tell me. That was immature of me."

"I would have told you anyway. That part was just a bonus."

"Stop it."

"Stop humoring you? Fine. You are more different than Mori or Tamaki or anyone for that matter. And it's terrifying. As they say, curiosity killed the cat."

"I like the joking Sora better than the serious one."

"Stop the car!" The limo screeched to a halt. Sora was glaring daggers at Kyoya. "I have always been alone. Regardless of what I say about my friends, after my mother died, I died, in a manner of speaking. I didn't have the will to live, and my one safe place was snatched up just as quickly! But you and your rich friends made me realize that I have it easy! I'm surrounded by people that loved me. But you...I talked to my father, and he says your father pays more attention to his money than he does his children! Listen to me. You and the others are the best thing that have happened to me in a long time! You take my fears and pains away, and replace them with wonder and excitement for a new day! To stop seeing you would be like taking away half that joy! I need you!"

Kyoya smiled and took her hand, placing it over his heart. "Do you feel that?"

"Yeah."

"It's yours, until it stops beating. Let's go," he called to his driver.

He leaned over and kissed Sora deeply. She unbuckled her seatbelt and made herself comfortable in his lap. "I'll always be here," she promised. "Never doubt that."


	9. Chapter 14: Bittersweet Romance

Chapter 14: Bittersweet Romance

Mori grumbled as he stalked out of bed, at midnight, to answer the shrilling phone. "Hello?" he grunted.

"Mori-senpai?" Tamaki's voice floated from the speaker. "Did I wake you?"

"What is it, Tamaki?"

"You have no time left. Listen..."

An airplane flew over the house, a deep rumbling sound interrupting the night's silence.

"You and Kyoya are out of time. One of you needs to bow out, or I will take Sora for myself."

Mori raised his eyebrows, fully awake now. "I was under the impression that you regarded her as a niece."

"No more. My father believes she would make an excellent wife for me, and wishes to have me propose to her. Now you have one day. If neither of you wish to end this, I will ask Sora to marry me. Do you understand? One day. Good night."

* * *

Antoinette growled as her master hung up the phone.

"It's for the best," Tamaki sighed, petting her head. "I hope they come to realize it was a bluff, but we'll see if one of them has the heart to give up the one they love. Mori-senpai knows his feelings and understands them clearly. Kyoya will never admit he loves Sora unless they become serious. I'm just giving them the push they need."

She whined and set her head on his lap.

"I know. It's like that story from the Bible, like Haruhi told us. King Solomon suggested to the two women to cut the baby in half, and only the true mother would give up her beloved child to keep him safe. Kyoya and Mori-senpai feel this way, too. They can't share Sora, nor will they ever. But one of them has to love her enough to give her away. Who knows? Maybe she'll choose that person, instead."

* * *

"Do you need help, sir?" inquired one of Kyoya's butlers as he carried the sleeping Sora upstairs to the guest room next to his own.

"No, thank you," he replied courteously. "She's tired. I'll allow her room and board for the night."

His butler laughed. "Good use of commoner words, young master."

Kyoya struggled to get the door open, but he finally succeeded. The room was immediately flooded with light. He laid her down gently on the bed. Being careful, he lifted the blue blanket over her.

"Mmm," she mumbled, turning restlessly under the down comforter. "Kyoya."

He put his lips to hers and whispered, "Sleep now, Sora. I'll have your things brought here tomorrow morning."

"Can't...have to stay in the hotel."

"Nonsense. You'll stay here for the night. Get some sleep."

"'Kay." A small smile flitted across her face.

He crossed over to the wall and switched off the light. "Good night, Your Highness."

"Don't call me that."

Kyoya chuckled. "Then what should I call you?"

"How about...your girlfriend?"

He froze, but smiled once more. "That's fine, too."

* * *

The birds were twittering loud the following morning as Kyoya made his way down to breakfast. Luckily, his father and brothers were away on business, which meant no awkward situations when Sora came down for food. He rustled the paper as he flipped it over to read the headlines. "Tetsuya," he called, "what is for breakfast today?"

The butler turned around from setting the table. "Ah, young master Ootori. Miss Mikage was up a few hours ago to see what we would be eating, and she somehow persuaded Aoi, young as he is, to let her help in the kitchen. She's preparing a most exquisite meal today, sir."

Kyoya set down the paper slowly. "She's in the kitchen, cooking **my** breakfast?"

"All of our breakfasts, sir. She's hinting heavily on doing our lunches, too."

"Excuse me." He picked up his morning coffee (which Haruhi got him used to) and proceeded to the kitchens. Upon opening the door, he saw Aoi by the counter, preparing a large bowl of fruit. A young girl whose name escaped him was by the sink, rinsing tomatoes for the salads. Over by the ovens, Sora was inserting a pizza into the flames. Ignoring the appraising looks from the other two occupants, he walked over to where Sora stood and wrapped his arms around her, setting down his coffee. "I hear you are preparing my last meal."

"Why would you say that?" she asked as the heat hit them both.

"Because I will keel over from whatever you cook."

"Excuse me," she scoffed, "but I can cook Italian meals better than anyone in this kitchen. Pizza's just a given. I'm preparing a caesar salad, your daily bowl of fruit, sandwiches made from different Italian meats, and the greatest lasagna you will ever taste."

"What kind of meats are you using?"

"Every kind you hate, other than chicken."

"Wonderful. And the pizza?"

"A homemade recipe. Meat lovers, that's what it's called. Pepperoni, Italian sausage, and ham. Really good. You should try it."

"Who asked for the salads?"

"I know you like them, and you have never tried them my way, so you'll be my taste tester."

"Lovely. The fruit, I assume, is for breakfast."

"Sure is. It's delicious on toast and bagels. Ooh, and sometimes, in pound cakes, but that's for dessert. Tonight, if you'll let me, I want to have you try this parfait I used to make whenever I came home from school. It's excellent..."

The two cooks quietly left them to discuss meal plans alone.

* * *

Hikaru slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Kaoru, will you hand me that organizer? I think one of our customers left it by accident."

The younger twin flipped through it. "Or on purpose, considering her phone number's written on every page."

Haruhi slumped onto the nearest couch. "I'm wiped. Sora, how could you possibly ride horses and go to school minutes later? Well, I know you don't do that here, but still..." she breathed, closing her eyes to relax.

Sora kicked off her shoes and leaned back onto Haruhi's couch. "It's called awesome-ness."

Mori looked up from his History finals notes. "Sora," he chuckled. "There's no such word."

She shrugged. "So? Neither is 'raph' or 'schpadam' or 'm'fashnik.'"

Kyoya laughed quietly from behind his laptop. "That last one was uncalled for."

"It's what we call stupid foreigners who actually eat half the stuff we give them."

"Very considerate of you," he laughed again.

"Tama-chan, you're awfully quiet," commented Honey as he played with Bun-Bun.

Tamaki shook his head and whispered dramatically, "Alas! I cannot hold this in any longer."

Both Sora and Kyoya froze in stretching and typing.

"When Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai leave Ouran, I have no idea who to appoint for new hosts. If I cannot replace them, then my father said he will 'shut us down!'"

Haruhi examined her fingernails. "If your father truly wanted to shut us down, senpai, he would have done so ages ago."

Hikaru sat near Haruhi's head. "Tono, don't get worked up over something so trivial. If it came down to it, we'll make new regulations and ask Sora to host boys."

"Absolutely not." Kyoya looked nonchalant, but Mori understood the quiet fury of his voice. "We cannot allow girls to host males. What if one were to overstep those rules and regulations and hurt Sora?"

Tamaki appeared to be outraged. "WHAT?! I WILL NEVER LET ANYONE LAY A HAND ON SORA!! NEVER IN MY LIFE!!"

"And in the afterlife?" remarked Sora, leaning back onto the couch. "Will you let other males touch me, then?"

"OH, THE IMAGERY!!"

"Senpai, stop being so perverted."

"WHAT?! I AM NOT BEING PERVERTED!"

Abruptly, Kaoru jumped up from his armchair. "Hikaru! I forget to tell you! Elaina and Natalia will be attending Mother's fashion show this weekend. They must stay with us! That is, if you don't mind," he added slyly to Sora.

"Not at all. But it seems some certain pals of mine don't hold enough respect towards me to tell me these things. Anyway, I have to go Christmas shopping for the girls. It will take forever for their gifts to arrive, so I'll buy them this weekend. Have fun." 

The twins bounded from the room. Kyoya stood up. "I must be leaving. We have some African ambassadors arriving for one of our dinner parties." He put a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Please realize the dangers involved in shopping alone. You could"

"Get hurt, or mugged, or even get lost," she finished sarcastically. "I know. I know. And if I see any strangers, don't talk to them. Come straight home. Right, Dad?"

He smirked. _Me, your father? Please. That hurts._ "But keep your opinions to yourself. For your own safety." He left briskly. 

Tamaki clutched Sora's and Haruhi's hands at the same time. "Will you be coming to school tomorrow? You're not sick, are you?"

"No, Tamaki." Sora stood up, yawning. "I'm fine. Haruhi, why don't you take Tamaki to his car?"

Haruhi stared. "Why?"

"Make sure he's still in one piece."

"Fine." She sighed and rose. "Come on, senpai."

Tamaki waved goodbye. "Till tomorrow, Sora!"

Mori looked back down at his History notes. "Mitsukuni, I have more notes to study."

Honey nodded. "Right. See ya, Sora-chan!" He reached up to kiss her cheek and skipped into the hallway, leaving Sora standing by the couches and Mori at the table.

"Mori..."

"I know." He smiled and looked up at her. "And I'm bowing out."

"But, I..."

"No." Mori stood to hug her tightly. "You are so dear to me, Sora. How could I not give you what you want?"

"But..."

"Don't think anything of me. I love you." He heard her gasp. "And you love me, but not in the way I wish you did. This is what you desire, yes?"

Sora stepped back, shocked. "Mori, I never wanted to choose between the two of you. It was unfair and completely stupid, but you guys forced me. And just between the two of us..."

He leaned closer.

"I knew all along about Tamaki's plan. He had it in his head from the beginning. It was a bluff the whole time, Mori. Just a bluff."

Mori shook with indignation. "Are you saying...that Tamaki...pretended...to want-"

"Just a bluff," she repeated sternly. "Don't hunt him down. Who knew Tamaki could be so mature and brilliant?"

"But don't be sorry. Never be sorry. That night was the best night of my life."

"So far."

"Alright, so far. I highly doubt I will get anyone better than you."

_Aww, that was sweet. _"Well, since you feel that way, I think I will never meet a more protective person than you. When Kyoya's not there, I want you to be there. Like a..." She hesitated. "Like the big brother I never had. Okay?" Mori still did not know of her dark and sorrowful past. _Hopefully Honey will tell him sooner rather than later._

"That works with me. And another thing."

"Name it."

"How did you convince the superintendent to loosen up on dress code policies?"

Sora laughed. "Just a hint of magic. It's nothing."

* * *

Kyoya broke off, breathing unsteadily. "Sora, class starts in five minutes. I can't be caught kissing the transfer student from Italy in a hallway. It's bad enough Renge passed by us."

Sora wound her arms around his neck. "Look at this face. Do I look like I care?"

"You will when you see your name plastered in the newspapers."

"Once again..."

He laughed and crushed his lips to hers again. An entire week, and not a single stranger knew of their relationship. Tamaki and the twins were ecstatic at the news, and Mori was indifferent as always, but Sora still felt extremely guilty. Honey and Haruhi acted normally, but smiled occasionally when Kyoya would brush his fingers against Sora's when he passed her anything, or when he'd leaned over during club hours to "help" her with homework and she'd sneak kisses on his throat. Renge was the worst, always screaming with delight when she caught them in some private moments. Nekozawa, annoyingly, informed the "Italian Cavalry," as Renge called them, and that night, both the lovebirds' phones were flooded with messages.

"Kyoya," Sora murmured against his bruised lips. "Class."

He laughed and pulled away. "Of course." He gently kissed her forehead. "I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

"'Kay," she grinned. "Save you a seat."

"And I think we should let the school know of our relationship. I can't stand not being able to hold your hand or kiss you in front of people."

"You want to kiss me in front of other people?"

"No, I just want to rub it in their faces that you're mine."

"Agreed!" She played with his fingers. "So what? Stage a kiss on the cheek in the cafeteria?"

"That will work fine for me. Bye."

"Till lunchtime, dear Romeo!" She broke into laughter.

Kyoya smiled and walked down the hall, a microscopic bounce in his step.


	10. Chapter 15: Restless

Chapter 15: Restless

Sora laid her head on Kyoya's lap as he finished an essay for English on his laptop. The fangirls were glancing over at them every few seconds, taking in the scene. They were behaving quite like Hikaru and Kaoru, just not as bad. He'd lean down and kiss her deeply, eliciting squeals from the other couches. She'd sit in his lap and pretend to create hickeys all along his neck, and he would play along, closing his eyes and smiling. Two customers had to step outside for a minute.

"MOTHER!" Tamaki was horrified that Kyoya had his greedy hands and lips all over his precious niece. "LEAVE SORA ALONE!! BEHAVIOR LIKE THAT SHOULD BE OUTLAWED!"

Kyoya would then roll his eyes and continue holding Sora's hand or kissing her neck.

Finally, the sun was setting, and it was time to leave for the weekend. Honey and Mori got a promise out of Haruhi that she would go with them to the movies on Sunday, and the twins had plans with their mother out of town. Tamaki's father had a business party to attend, and Tamaki would follow along, which left Sora's weekend completely free. Next week was the last week of school, and she needed to order everyone's gifts before they left. Mori and Honey were planning to travel Europe after Honey's birthday passed.

Kyoya snaked an arm around her waist. "Are you ready to leave?" He had convinced her to ride with him in the afternoons (since Tamaki picked her up in the mornings) and she agreed on the condition that he would come visit her in Italy over winter vacation. "My driver isn't here yet, though, so if you have something else in mind..."

She yawned. "I'd like a little nap, if you don't mind. Those finals today were pretty rough. Will you carry me to the car?"

"Only if you want me to."

"I want you to..." She closed her eyes and laid down on his lap. "Feel free to take me when he does arrive...I don't want...to keep...him...waiting..." Her voice trailed off as she drifted into sleep.

Kyoya removed his glasses and closed his eyes. His driver had orders not to come for an hour; so he decided, as long as she was sleeping, so would he.

* * *

_Kyoya walked through the hallway leading to Tamaki's room. He was still in his uniform and his bag hung over his shoulder. He needed to ask Tamaki something, but he couldn't remember what. The door opened slowly._

"_Hey," called Tamaki. "How did the talk with your father go?"_

"_What talk with my...?"_

"_Forget it. We need your help putting up tinsel." The room had changed into a grand hall, bedecked with Christmas decorations. "Kyoya, you can put some on the banisters."_

_Honey bounced around the room with Riiko, holding hands. "We're setting up the mistletoe!" he laughed. "Haru-chan's in the nursery, feeding the baby still!"_

"_Baby??"_

_Riiko giggled. "Kyoya, come help us after you're done!"_

_He looked down at the tinsel in his hands. "Where is Mori?"_

_Hikaru looked away from the TV in the corner. A health show was on, showing the gruesome aftermath of a hit-and-run. "Don't you remember? He and Sora are away on their honeymoon, in the Bahamas, right?"_

_Kyoya yelled. "Honeymoon?! But I'm her boyfriend!"_

"_Silly goose," chuckled Kaoru as he helped Tamaki with the Christmas tree. "She's been engaged to Mori-senpai for months!"_

_Kyoya stepped back, horrified. Pictures of Mori and Sora were covering the walls. As he looked closer, he saw a few with a baby in them, too._

"_No..." He turned to run back into the hallway, but found himself facing a dark room. He and Sora had their arms around each other, looking out over the ocean._

"_Full moon out tonight," his other self said._

"_Beautiful," replied Sora._

"_Big plans forming."_

"_Yep. Gotta prepare for her arrival, but not too soon."_

"_And the letter. Can't forget the letter, love."_

"_Of course not, my dearest Romeo."_

"_I love you, Sora." The other Kyoya smiled and kissed her._

"_I love you, too, Kyoya," Sora laughed, kissing him again._

_The real Kyoya grinned and began to walk forward. Wind and air swept him back. "WAIT!"_

_He was now in a courtyard, looking out over a field of flowers. _

"_Lovely, isn't it?" Haruhi was crossing over to him, wearing a simple white dress. "Tamaki picked it out for you guys. He figured you needed a serene place for the wedding."_

"_Wedding?" asked Kyoya, raising an eyebrow._

"_Don't tell me you forgot!" Haruhi burst into laughter. "Yours and Sora's? Next Saturday? Come on, Kyoya. Quit playing around!"_

_He shook his head. "I'm not"_

_A bell rang out. "Sorry," said Haruhi. "Have to go. The cookies are ready. Big changes are heading our way."_

_He remembered the words Sora and his other self spoke earlier and played along. "A lot of big changes."_

"_Loose ends to tie."_

"_Lots of loose ends."_

"_She'll be here in no time."_

"_No time at all."_

"_No more than two years. The twins will be delighted. They're still together, you know."_

_"Never left the other's side, huh?"_

"_Nope."_

"_I wonder how the others are doing."_

"_And he's going to graduate soon, as well. He'll be going off to Oxford, that university in England. I wonder how Cera will take that. Hopefully, as well as his family did. Be seeing you, Kyoya."_

_He smiled and waved goodbye, before realizing the scene had changed. He was standing in the middle of a street. Shops and bakeries lined the sidewalk. Someone screamed out._

"_SORA, LOOK OUT!"_

_A screeching halt and a loud, inhuman thump made him turn_.

_A large crowd had gathered in the street. "Oh my gosh! Someone call an ambulance!"_

_Riiko and Tamaki were pushing through the crowd. "SORA! SORA, NO! NO, NO! PLEASE, NO!!"_

"_SORA!!"_

"_Tamaki, call an ambulance! Sora, open your eyes!"_

_He looked over a man's shoulder._

_Sora was lying in the street, unmoving. Blood was spilling from a gash on her head._

"_SORA!!" Riiko kneeled by her head. "Sora, you can hear...can't you?! PLEASE, WAKE UP!! OPEN YOUR EYES!! PLEASE, SORA!!"_

_But she didn't move._

_It felt like the world had gone from beneath Kyoya's feet. All he saw was Sora's body, lying on the street...Sora...Sora...oh God, please, no, no...Kyoya, you fool...Kyoya...Kyoya..._"Kyoya. KYOYA. KYOYA!"

* * *

Sora was attempting to slap Kyoya awake. "Wake up! THE SUN SET!! DO YOU HEAR ME?! I NEED TO GET BACK HOME!"

A dark aura of anger surrounded him as he groggily opened his eyes. "Wuzzit?"

"We need to leave!" She gently shook him, afraid of his infamous tempers. "I have to eat dinner and do laundry. WAKE UP!"

He touched his cheek to her forehead. "What if I don't want to?"

"YOU'RE WAKING UP!!"

"That's not what I meant. Give me some incentive to take you home, and I'll take you."

"What are you talking about?!"

"Give me a good reason to take you home."

"Laundry..."

"Unnecessary."

"And I need to eat..."

"I'll take you to dinner."

"But..."

He glanced tiredly at his watch. "My driver has been waiting for ten minutes. Let's not keep him any longer." He picked her up as easily as if she weighed five pounds instead of a hundred and fifteen. 

"HEY!! PUT ME DOWN!!"

"You told me I could carry you."

"IF I WAS ASLEEP-"

"And I intend to keep you safe, so deal with it."

"BUT KYOYA-"

"No more arguments. We're going out, regardless of our attire."

* * *

After sitting in his bedroom making out for over an hour, Kyoya decided that Sora should stay the night again. She lazily worked her way up to her room (after being kissed in ways that should be illegal) and settled under the sheets. She thought back to Kyoya and his behavior after he woke up. He never moved more than an inch from her side after they left the Third Music Room. It felt like he was being overly protective of her. Since she wasn't used to it by anyone other than Mori, she felt annoyed.

Closing her eyes, she relaxed and fell asleep once more.

* * *

"_Sora-chan!" Honey ran at her from across an enormous courtyard. "Did you hear the news? Hika-chan and Kao-chan __have found new hosts to replace us!"_

_Haruhi laughed. "I think you know one of them, Sora." She turned and left with Honey. Sora followed them._

_They turned a corner, and Sora was standing in the fields surrounding the palazzo. Two men were strewn on the grass, gazing at the clouds.__One of them looked up. He had untidy bronze hair and dark eyes, and wore jeans and a white dress shirt open over a sculpted chest.__He raised his arm to wave._

"_TOYA!!" Sora ran to squeeze him. "You're one of the new hosts?!"_

_He laughed. "Of course. It means you and I can be together again. Isn't that great, Sora?"_

_Her laughter died out. "But I love Kyoya."_

_Toya smiled and chuckled. "Silly old bear. Kyoya moved to the Okinawa prefecture two weeks ago. He didn't want to make it hard for you to choose."_

_Sora jumped up. "No! I...I love him, Toya! And I love you, too, but...right now, he's the one in my heart! I have to go to him!"_

_Toya frowned. "You don't love me anymore?"_

_The grass fell out from under her feet. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"_

_Suddenly, she felt water surrounding her. Sora tried to surface, but she found she could breathe properly. How strange. A school of fish swam by, followed by a pair of dolphins playing._

"_Sora!" Mori was a gorgeous pirate, glaring at her from above the surface. "I've found you at last! Now I can collect the reward on you!"_

"_What're you talking about?!" she tried to yell, but only bubbles came from her mouth._

"_Just swim up to me, and I won't be forced to hurt you."_

"_WHAT?! NO!!"_

_He appeared to sigh quietly. "Fine. Tamaki, get her."_

_A blond pirate jumped ship, but he wore a ludicrous outfit. "You can run, Sora, but you can't hide!" Tamaki exclaimed, swimming down. _

_Sora turned tail and swam to the ocean floor, but it never seemed to get closer..._

_A whirlpool scooped her up and sent her flying out of the water. "OH, CRAP!"_

_Soft but firm carpet met her. "Ow..." She rubbed her legs. "That seriously hurt."_

_A hand was offered to her. "Need some help?" Kyoya stood above her, wearing nothing but a pair of pants. "I wanted to wait a few weeks, but if you insist..." He wrapped his arms around her and laid her gently on the white comforter bed. It was a king-size, taking up half the wall. "Let's make this memorable," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her neck._

_Sora squirmed underneath him. "Kyoya, what are you doing?"_

_A low chuckled issued from him. "Silly girl. You wanted a baby, no?"_

_She froze and gasped. "ARE YOU INSANE?! I'M STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL! WE AREN'T EVEN MARRIED!! AND THIS HAS TO BE A DREAM!! TOYA'S GONE, AND TAMAKI AND MORI ARE BOUNTY HUNTERS, AND YOU'RE _**WAY**_ TOO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS! THE REAL KYOYA WOULD BE HOLDING _**ME**_ BACK, PROTECTING _**MY**_ VIRTUE!!"_

_Kyoya laughed. "We've done this so many times, Sora, the single place you remain a virgin is the kitchen, and only because it's unsanitary."_

"_WHAT?!" Now she fought to get out from under his (admittedly gorgeous) body. "YOU ARE COMPLETELY INSANE!! I'M TOO YOUNG FOR KIDS!!"_

"_But you still want one, right?"_

"_YES, IN THE FUTURE, WITH MY HUSBAND AND A MASTERS DEGREE IN MEDICINE! NOT IN SCHOOL WITH A BOYFRIEND AND NOT EVEN MY DIPLOMA!"_

"_Why wait? We'll be graduating soon, and I want an heir...or heiress. Whichever one, I don't care. As long as it was created by you and me."_

"_OKAY, KYOYA SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO SHUT UP NOW!! IT'S QUIET TIME FOR THE OOTORI HEIR!!"_

"_Sora, wake up," he said, kissing her neck again._

"_YOU ARE COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INSANE-"_

"_Sora, honey, wake up."_

"_NOT TO MENTION FINE AND HOT AND SEXY, BUT THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT-"_

"_Sora, you silly sleepyhead, wake up."_

"_YOU NEED TO SIT UP, STEP BACK, AND THINK ABOUT THIS-"_

"_Sora...sweetie, you're talking in your sleep. That's adorable, but you need to wake up. _SORA!"

* * *

Kyoya sat on her bed, gently shaking her awake. "Sora, are you going to out-sleep me? That's very unhealthy."

One of her eyes opened a peek. "What time is it?" she moaned, turning onto her back.

"Almost noon. Come on. If you want lunch, it's ready. Then I promise I'll take you home, okay?"

Slowly, Sora sat up, yawning. "What's for lunch?"

"Soup and salad. Nothing special. Now get up before I have to force you."

"Had a really weird dream last night."

Kyoya sighed and kissed her forehead. "I know exactly what you mean."


End file.
